Purple Mist
by Lin13
Summary: Chihiro is haunted by dreams of people and places she doesn't remember. Despite this, she has settled into nearly perfect life. But then someone comes straight from her dreams to disrupt everything she has come to know.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own, 'Spirited Away'. Plain and simple. Yes it is sad, but it is the way of the universe and my meager power cannot change what is written in the heavens. Holy crap I need sleep.

M'kay, this is my first expedition into this fan…section…thingy. In fact I don't really like anime (even though all my fanifictions have been in the anime section…hmm) but I am drawn to the genius of Miyazaki! In other words, his movie was weird and I'm attracted to weirdness like a magpie to tinfoil. Forgive me if I absolutely slaughter all that is Japanese culture, but I come armed with nothing but a Webster dictionary and cell phone so I can bug my Japanese relatives with constant cultural questions. Will I use the crap out of my dictionary? Heck yes! Will you be sick of me by the end of this story? I hope not, but we'll just have to see how things work out.

I've decided for this fic that I will give a short word of advice before you read on. Today's advice is something that I've learned intimately today: One can not live off of puffy cheetos alone. One must also have hostess donuts! So go get some Cheetos and Donuts and enjoy!

* * *

The faint cool touch remained on her cheek as she opened her eyes. Then it was gone, along with any remnant of the dream; the same dream she had had every night for the last ten years but could never remember. She felt empty, as she did every morning. A piece of herself was gone and it was gnawing at her inside to remember what. Chihiro sighed and rolled out of bed, scrambling in the pre-dawn light to find her running shoes. She stumbled into her bathroom and glared at the mirror. A slender young woman glared back with dark eyes, pale skin and brown hair that hung just below her shoulders, rumpled with sleep. She sighed again and ran a brush quickly through it before reaching for her hair tie. She paused as she did every morning. The hair tie was her most prized possession, even though she didn't know why. She had had it for some time, but she could never pinpoint where or when she had gotten it. She viewed it as a lucky charm, but was growing more tempted with each day to throw it away. It was purple and sparkly, fine for a young girl, but not for a twenty-year-old woman. In the end, something inside always stayed her hand and she pulled her hair up with it.

She pulled on a light jacket and slipped out of her apartment into the chilly world. Mist was hanging thick and icy around her. She zipped her jacket a little more and began her daily ritual. She couldn't say what it was that drew her, but it happened every day. After waking up, she felt the only way to feel normal was to go to that place. It was two miles from her apartment, but there was nothing that could stop her from going. She jogged a short ways, then stretched the last traces of sleep from her muscles. She made her way past the tightly packed houses, out onto nearly deserted highway, then turned left on a dirt trail through the woods. She couldn't make much out through the heavy fog, but she knew everything here so well she didn't need her eyes. In her youth she had named every single one of the little spirit houses that lined the trail. She would leave food there for them, and the next day the food would always be gone. She had thought it was the spirits until she caught a squirrel making off with a piece of bread. Chihiro smiled lightly to herself and picked up the pace. She began breathing heavy as she ran up the steep incline. She was just beginning to taste blood when the trail ended and looming in front of her was a giant plaster building. Chihiro forced her breathing to steady and stepped up to the tunnel. She had only been on the other side once, and that's where the veil across her memory began. She couldn't remember what was on the other side of the black tunnel. Chihiro stood and stared at the building, watching as the sun began peeking over the mountains and cast the plaster face in hues of pink and orange while also dispelling the mist. Then without a backwards glance, she turned and jogged back down the hill.

* * *

"Helloooo there." A deep voice growled and a strong arm wrapped around Chihiro's waist.

"And hello back." Chihiro said with a faint smile. Other than that she pretended to ignore the owner of the arm as she sifted through order forms.

"That's not a very friendly greeting!" the voice murmured. Chihiro turned and kissed the owner of the voice and arms quickly before turning back to her work.

"Is that it?"

"Yes, Saru, now if you don't mind, I really need to get back to work." She said in annoyance and shoved the arms away.

"I'm sorry!" Saru said, putting his hands up defensively. Chihiro sighed and swiped her bangs out of her eyes.

"No, I'm sorry. You know how I handle mornings, and this one is a busy one. I promise I'll give you a good 'hello' at lunch or something." Chihiro said.

"I'm holding you to that." Saru said.

"I'm sure you are." Chihiro said, slapping him playfully on the butt as he eased past her to get out the door. He gave her one last dazzling smile before disappearing from view. Chihiro smiled to herself, but it soon left as she stared down at the papers before her. Orders for oils and repair bills littered her small desk along with time cards for employees that needed logging and receipts that needed filing. Such was the workload for the young apprentice of the _Honshitsu Spa and Bathhouse. _She could want nothing else. She couldn't explain why she had been drawn to this place, but she fell into the work easily and now hoped someday to start a business of her own. Plus the workload didn't seem so bad since she was dating the best masseuse on staff, meaning free massages on the most stressful of days. Chihiro grinned to herself at the thought of Saru. They had been dating for nearly a year now. He had told her he loved her, but she had never been able to say it back. When she thought about it she realized that while she cared about him deeply, she couldn't tell for sure if it was love. She then tried to name what was pushing her away from him. He was friendly, funny, good looking and smart. Everything a girl could want. But there was something about him that just seemed too…young. This made absolutely no sense though because he was five years older than her. _You're just finding excuses not to get close! _She scolded herself, _Stop it now Chi, before you push him away all together!_

Chihiro heaved a frustrated sigh and grabbed her clipboard. First were the rounds of the kitchen to get the grocery list, then to gather up any complaints and calm down the various ill-tempered that seemed to frequent the area. Normally she wouldn't handle so much of the responsibility, but the owner of the spa was on vacation, believing Chihiro completely capable of handling everything for a week and a half. Chihiro had felt honored at the responsibility, but was glad they would be back tomorrow. The days had been filled with adventures which grew in calamity every hour.

Today's newest adventure was an uproar made by mister Ganko. He nearly did harm to a wash girl claiming that she had tried to boil him to death in his bath. This ruckus took nearly three hours to sort out, finally ending when Chihiro offered him a free bath and massage with the assistance of any staff member he chose. This finally behind her, she sank once more into the darkened cell which was her office.

_There were flowers everywhere, it was almost like a maze. She ran through the winding tunnel which never seemed to end, and the sweet smell of violets and roses wafted around her so thickly she felt as though she could walk on it._

"Chiiiiii! Chiiii!" A voice called softly.

"Chi. Wake up girl." Chihiro opened her eyes and glanced at the hand on her shoulder.

"Mmm, how long was I out?" She asked, sitting up straight and rubbing her eyes.

"Well, I've been watching you for the last five minutes. You're really pretty when you're asleep." Saru said with a small smile. Chihiro snorted at this as she wiped some drool from her ledger.

"Come on. It's lunch time. Aren't you going to say hello to me?" Saru asked, standing up and opening his arms. Chihiro smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Hello Saru. How are you doing today?" She said obediently.

"I've actually got a problem. My boss is about to collapse from exhaustion and it can't be good for her. What should I do?"

"Hmm, some fried mushrooms would be good."

"Fried mushrooms it is then…but first, come with me." Saru took her hand and towed her behind him until they reached his small parlor. The entire thing was closed off from the rest of the building by a number of elaborately painted paper screens as was customary. The only difference was that this 'room' had a window. It was dark gray outside and the wind pelted large drops of rain against the glass.

"When did it start raining?" Chihiro asked.

"Mm, not too long ago." Saru said, grabbing a towel and tossing it to her before leaving the room. Chihiro frowned at it, but then decided that there was no use arguing with him. She stripped out of her red Kimono which was more of a costume than an actual uniform. The room had a table in the center, then there was a table of massage oils and a stand with a small stereo. It was playing on of Chihiro's favorite CD's. She hummed softly with the sweet music and lay face down on the bed, draping the towel across her waist. Saru came in a few moments later and began bathing his hands in oils before setting himself to work pressing the knots out of her back. Chihiro groaned as his strong thumbs dug deep to loosen the tight muscles, bringing on a feeling between pain and pleasure. As the last of the knots eased, he began rubbing gently and Chihiro was able to relax. The smell of lavender and thieves washed over her and her eyes began to droop. She felt as though she was floating, and everything swirled in a purple haze.

_Chihiro was far away, she could tell that much for sure. The massage parlor was gone and she was standing on a bridge. A purple mist swirled beneath the bridge, giving the illusion that everything was floating. Chihiro could still hear music. She hummed and began to dance to the music, kicking up the fog with her bare feet. People would drift in and out, they were shadow people and they would dance for a moment before vanishing, only to reappear a moment later. Then a boy stood at the edge of the bridge. He was only twelve or thirteen. His face was thin and pale, a curtain of dark hair fell nearly to his shoulders and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. But Chihiro was captured by his eyes. They were eyes that were to old to be in a face so young. The boy stepped forward and held his hand out to Chihiro. She accepted it immediately, vaguely noticing that she was no longer a woman, but a young girl. The boy held her close and they began to waltz, staring into each other's faces. Then the song ended. The boy took a step back and planted a light kiss on her forehead before everything was swallowed by the purple mist._

Saru kissed the back of Chihiru's head softly. She sighed and propped her chin on her arms. She listened to the pattering of the rain against the window for a moment, trying to hold on to the images in her head. She failed and grudgingly opening her eyes. A little boy stared at her, his deathly pale face standing out against the darkness. Chihiru let out a small shriek and jumped, smacking the back of her head into Saru's teeth as he leaned down to kiss her again. Chihiro glanced back at the window, but nothing was there. Ignoring the muffled expletives coming from Saru, she wrapped the towel tightly around her chest and dashed into the hallway, then to the back door. It was a lot colder out then it looked and the fresh air cleared any remnants of fuzz from her head. Ignoring the rain, Chihiro ran down the steps and across the soggy grass until she was just beneath Saru's window. There were no signs of the boy. No bent blades of grass, nothing. The window itself was set up so high that Chihiro, standing at a modest five foot six, could barely peep through if she jumped.

"You're losing your mind, Chi." She muttered to herself.

"Chi! Are you alright?" Saru called from the doorway.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Get back in here! You're getting soaked!" Chihiro was about to turn and do just that when she paused. She was a few feet away from the window now, and she could see it clearly; the rough circular mist on the glass from someone's breath. Chihiro stared at it, watching it slowly fade away. A pair of warm hands settled on her shoulders causing her to jump. Saru frowned at her and nodded towards the door.

"Come on." He wrapped his arm around her and led her back into the building. "You've been working to hard, you are taking the rest of the day off. You are going to eat something, then you are going to take a bath. _Then _you are going to go home, I will buy pizza and we will snuggle on the couch watching a movie." He ignored any of Chihiro's protest and gave instructions to the first girl dressed in blue that he saw to draw a bath. But in all reality, Chihiro was to mentally exhausted to put up much of a fight and a bath sounded wonderful.

* * *

Chihiro growled and yanked her hair out of it's bun as she walked down the hallway to her apartment. She pulled her keys out of her bag and sorted through the chain to find the one to her door when she caught sight of something out the corner of her eye. A little boy was standing next to the window at the end of the hall. The setting sun illuminated the white of his clothes, making him seem to glow. Dark hair framed a thin, pale face and the eyes beneath the bangs held a sort of sharpness that didn't fit with his youth.

"Can I help you?" Chihiro asked awkwardly.

"Ch-Chihiro?" The boy asked cautiously.

"Yes, that's me. Are you lost?" The boy smiled and shook his head.

"Not anymore." He murmured. Chihiro could barely hear him.

"Do I…Do I know you?" Chihiro asked.

"I had forgotten how quickly humans age." The boy said, more to himself than to her.

"Um…excuse me?" The boy said nothing, but his body began to change. It was like watching an age procession video in fast motion. His chest grew and thickened, his arms and legs went from thin and scrawny to lean with a slight definition of muscle and his cheekbones hardened. The boy was gone, and now there was a man of about twenty three. Chihiro couldn't move. She thought vaguely to herself that she should unlock her door and get into her apartment quickly, but she couldn't take her eyes away from this…person?

"Chihiro, it's me…Haku." He whispered, taking a few steps towards her. Chihiro shrank against the door. The…man…Haku, hesitated, then reached out and placed his palm against her forehead. It was so cool. A calming feelingwashed over Chihiro and then images came. Flashing behind her eyes so quickly she could barely make sense of them. Yet as she saw them, even the tiniest of details were completely apparent to her. Haku pulled his hand away from her forehead and watched her face closely. Chihiro was gasping, and tears streaked down her cheeks. She opened her eyes and stared up at him.

"Where have you been?" She sobbed and buried her face into neck.

* * *

Yeah, sorry if this is a plot that's overused, as I said before I'm new to this fandom and don't really know what's already out there. Please review! You would be my all time hero if you did! And if you feel the need to flame, eh, whatever, if you're good at it then I guess you'll be my hero as well. 


	2. Chapter 2

HEY! Thank you everyone who reviewed! It's so nice to get positive feedback! More of you should do it! It could be like a reviewing party! And I'm sorry it's taken me so long to type up this chapter. I have no excuse aside from my sheer lack of ambition. I'm a horrible person (hangs head and sobs). Anyways, now for your advice!

Always be conscious of your surroundings. Otherwise, you'll find yourself in someone else's slippers and you'll know not how you got there.

* * *

"Where have you been?" Chihiro sobbed into his neck.

"I've never really left you." He murmured into her hair and held her close. "I've visited you every night in your dreams." Chihiro could remember her dreams now as well. And he was right. She could remember every night she had roamed through her mind with him at her side. Chihiro wrapped her arms a little tighter around his neck and they stood there, holding each other, neither daring to move for fear of becoming lost once more. Haku shifted his face a bit and kissed her hair, then rested his cheek against the top of her head. Chihiro felt his whole body tense. She looked up to find him staring down the hallway. She followed his gaze and saw Saru standing next to the staircase. A pizza box was in his hand and his whole body was quivering with rage.

"Saru!" she cried in alarm and quickly pulled away from Haku. Saru dropped the pizza and began storming down the stairs. Chihiro cursed under her breath and, after casting an apologetic glance at Haku, took off after him.

"Saru! Wait! It's not what it looks like!" She called, taking the steps two at a time. "Saru!" She managed to catch up with him on the next landing and grabbed his arm. He whirled around at her touch and glared at her. She could see tears glinting at the corners of his eyes. Without a word, he pulled a small box from his pocket and thrust it in her hands. Then he left. Chihiro watched him go, then with shaking hands opened the small box. A ring twinkled up at her. A single diamond set in a white gold band.

"Dammit." She growled, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. She ran a hand through her bangs and glanced back up the stairs. Haku was watching her with his lips pursed. Chihiro sighed and walked back up to him.

"Come on." She said, nodding to her apartment door.

Neither of them spoke as Chihiro placed the pizza and ring on the counter and shifted through her kitchen, rearranging the papers on the counter nervously. Finally, she turned to Haku who had been watching her, his head slightly tilted to one side.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, unable to hide the waver in her voice. Haku sighed and sat down on the couch in the living room. Chihiro walked around the counter and sat in the chair across from him.

"I was sent to find you." He said, fixing his gaze on his hands.

"Why?" She asked. Haku shifted in his seat and licked his lips nervously. "Haku, just tell me." He nodded and took a deep breath.

"Yubaba is dying. She asks for you to come to the spirit world before…it happens. She guarantees that you will be able to leave at any time and there are no tricks. She just wants to speak to you." Haku then seemed extremely interested in the fringe of a pillow.

"But…she's a spirit! How can she be dying?" Chihiro asked.

"Spirits can die just as easily as humans. Don't you remember what happened to me?" Chihiro nodded. She could still smell his blood on her hands. "But…I guess the better way to explain it is that she's beginning to fade. She's a very old spirit and she won't last much longer." They sat in silence for a moment, then Chihiro stood up and began pacing nervously.

"So…what exactly does she want to see me about?" She asked.

"She wouldn't tell me." Haku said, shaking his head.

"I don't know, Haku. I don't trust Yubaba and you can hardly blame me for it." Haku snorted at this. "Besides, I'm settled here…I'm happy. And…this is a very big…weird…thing. I just don't know if I can handle this." Chihiro collapsed back into her chair and ran her palm across her forehead. She could feel an impending headache, worse then that she felt she was on the brink of hysteria.

"I give you my word that nothing will happen to you. Yubaba gives her word as well." Haku said softly. Chihiro glanced up at him.

"You know, something seemed wrong out in the hall, and I just realized what it is." Chihiro said. "Haku, do you remember your name?" Haku froze and stared at her, unblinking.

"Well do you?" She demanded.

"No. It was taken from me again, soon after you left." He admitted.

"Then how do you expect me to trust Yubaba now?" Chihiro asked. Haku paused for a moment before answering.

"I don't expect you to trust her. But I'd hoped that you would trust me." He stood up and began walking towards the door. "Please think about it, Chihiro."

"Call me Chi."

"No. You'll always be Chihiro to me." He said with a soft smile. "I'll call on you tomorrow night for your answer." He opened the door and stepped through. Chihiro hesitated, then ran to the door and leaned out.

"Haku, wait!" She called after him. He paused and turned. Chihiro bit her lip before asking, "Would you…would you like me to tell you your name?" Haku smiled and shook his head.

"Maybe later." Then he was gone. Chihiro sighed and went back into the apartment. She opened the small box and gazed at the ring for a moment before burying her face into the couch and crying herself to sleep.

* * *

"Well, everything seems to be in order. Congratulations Chi, you've survived a week and a half of hell!" Bosu said, peering over the forms and receipts.

"Thanks Bosu." Chihiro said, tilting her head in thanks to her boss. "And how was your vacation?"

"It was wonderful. I almost couldn't pry the missus from the mini bar." He said giving Chihiro a playful wink. "And, before I forget, I got you a souvenir!" Bosu reached into a duffle bag beside his desk and sifted through various wrapped presents before taking one out and handing it to Chihiro. Chihiro smiled and began ripping away at the light blue wrapping paper. She pulled off the lid of the box and staring up at her through a layer of bubble wrap was a dragon figurine. It was as long and thin as a snake, it's silver body glowed beneath markings of blue and green. It didn't look exactly like Haku, but the sight of it brought all the events of the previous night right beneath her nose once more. She glanced up at Bosu who was watching her with an expectant smile. Chihiro smiled at him and swallowed back tears.

"Thank you! It's beautiful." She said honestly.

"I thought you'd like it! I don't know why, but when I saw it I just knew I had to get it for you." Chihro sniffed and smiled.

"Um…I should probably be getting back to work." Chihiro said, trying to mask the strain in her voice. Bosu nodded and stood to escort her the three steps to the door. Chihiro paused and hugged him. "Thank you."

"No, thank you!" Bosu said, patting her back gently. Chihiro pulled away, smiled and slipped through the door. She was halfway to her own office when she caught a flicker of blue. It wasn't the pale blue worn by wash girls, it was the deep blue of the male workers. Chihiro turned the corner and sure enough, Saru was walking stiffly towards his parlor. His back was to her and his shoulders were taut beneath his vest. Chihiro only hesitated for a moment before going after him.

"Saru!" She called. Saru ignored her. Chihiro ran behind him and grabbed his arm roughly.

"Will you just talk to me?" She demanded. Saru yanked his arm out of her grasp easily. "Fine, then just listen!" Chihiro said, practically jogging to keep up with his long strides. "What you saw last night, it wasn't what it looked like!"

"Oh? And just what did it look like?" Saru asked coldly.

"Don't be like this! Nothing was going on between me and that guy! He was just a childhood friend that popped up out of the blue! I haven't seen him since I was ten, so of course I'm going to be happy to see him!" Chihiro said, trying and failing to grab his arm again.

"Oh yes, the two of you looked very _happy."_ Saru growled.

"Saru! Knock it off! I can't believe you would even think of me like this!" Chihiro said. Saru stopped and turned to her.

"What am I supposed to think of you exactly? You're always so drawn back! It's like you're barely there sometimes! I've been trying, Chi! I've been trying really hard to get close to you because I love you! But you know what? You've never said that back to me! It's as though you're always keeping something held back! Like you have expectations for me that I'll never reach! Do you know how frustrating that is? And then I find you last night in the arms of another man! What happened after I left, Chi? Tell me that!" Saru demanded, his voice raised and full of pain.

"I invited him into my apartment! Okay? Is that what you want to hear? He came into my apartment, we talked for about ten minutes and then he left! Holy shit! I must be a whore because I had another man in my apartment for TEN FREAKING MINUTES!" Chihiro yelled.

"Then why? Why didn't I see him leave the apartment building?" Saru hissed. Chihiro glared at him and shook her head. "And just what is so important, pray tell, that he had to come and talk to you for ten minutes about? What is so important for you to sacrifice us?" he asked.

"An old mentor of mine is dying." Chihiro said, turning her back to him. "And the only one sacrificing us, is you."

"TAKE IT OUTSIDE WHY DON'T YA? I'M A PAYING CUSTOMER!" Someone yelled from the other side of one of the steaming screens. Chihiro looked up and saw faces peering out at them curiously. She took the ring from her pocket and tossed it over her shoulder at Saru. Then she stomped to her office. A few minutes later, she wiped the remaining tears from her eyes, got her breathing under control and picked up her phone.

"Bosu. I'm going to need a few days off." She said, lightly fingering the dragon sculpture.

* * *

Sorry, that was a bit short, and holy crap, I make Chihiro cry a lot! I'll try to do that less! And I'll try to update as soon as I can! Lots of reviews would help! Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

Hmm…only three reviews. That's kinda sad, but oh well. I'm just here to get my story out. And thanks so much to you that did review! Alright…it took a bit of grappling within my own mind, but I've decided that I'm going to go with the American movie in using the name Lin. This is partly due to the fact that I've only seen the American version,but mostly because Lin is my middle name and I like it. And I've read the name Boh being used for Yubaba's son, I don't know if that's right but I'm using it anyway! TRY AND STOP ME!

Today's advice: Um…don't do drugs.

* * *

Chihiro paced back and forth beneath the face of the giant building. The black tunnel gaped before her and a slight breeze pulled at her clothes as though insisting she enter. Haku was leaning against the ugly shrine and he watched her thoughtfully. They had made it this far without problem. But now the reality of it struck Chihiro; that she was just a few steps away from going back.

_I must be out of my mind! I can't go through there! I _can't _go through there! _She thought desperately to herself, running her fingers through her frazzled hair.

"Tell me exactly what Yubaba said to you!" Chihiro said for the fifteenth time. Haku took it patiently and answered with a small nod.

"She said, 'Haku, bring me the brat. The one that caused all that trouble a few years ago.'" Chihiro bit her lip and resumed her pacing. She couldn't help but wonder if Yubaba had decided to punish her after all these years. And if so, why wait so long? _I can't go through there!_

"Chihiro, I don't want to push you, but the time that the spirit and mortal worlds are merged is about over. We have to go now or else I'll have to come back for you tomorrow night." Haku said softly. Chihiro glanced up and noticed that dawn was coming quickly. They had gotten to the tunnel at midnight, had she really been battling with herself for the last four hours? She took a deep breath and nodded. _It was now or never._

They stepped into the tunnel. Chihiro reached instinctively for Haku's hand. Haku squeezed her fingers gently and they continued on to the pinpoint of light at the end. The chapel opened before them and Chihiro stopped. The water basin stood in front of her; she could feel the power of the spirit world focused on the item.

"I can't do this! Haku, I can't! Don't make me do this!" She said suddenly, tears welling up in her eyes. She stared at the water basin whose surface had begun rippling as though disturbed by an invisible force. Chihiro took a few steps backward towards the tunnel, but Haku's grip on her hand stopped her from bolting completely.

"Chihiro, look at me!" He said softly. Chihiro finally managed to rip her eyes from the basin and looked into his face. He reached out and touched her cheek. She had noticed before that his skin wasn't like anything she was used to. It was cool, and the feel of his hands were like mentholatum. Each touch brought a shock to her system. She stared into his green eyes, and her fear began to dissolve. She took a deep breath and nodded. He pulled her after him out the door and onto the grassy field. Mist was hanging like a thin curtain around the meadow. Haku glanced over to the east where the sky was beginning to tinge pink.

"Come on, we need to hurry." He said and quickened his pace, forcing Chihiro to jog in order to keep up. They made it across the river just as the sun peeked over the distant mountains. Everything was ripped from Chihiro at once and turned upside down. The mortal world was gone completely, it wasn't the gradual transition like last time. Her knees gave way and Haku's hand slipped through hers as she suddenly lost all tangibility.

"Chihiro!" He cried and knelt down beside her. She felt suddenly weak and her eyes began to lose focus. She could not even lift her hands in front of her face. She stared in wonder at her transparency and barely registered that this wasn't a good thing until she noticed Haku was trying to shove a hard round ball into her mouth. She opened her mouth and allowed the ball entrance. It was a hard candy! She almost laughed at the thought of Haku carrying around a pocket full of sweets. She sucked intently on it and things began to come into focus once more.

"I'm sorry! I didn't realize it would have that kind of affect on you. I should have brought you here a little sooner so you could make the adjustment." Haku was blundering. Chihiro smiled. She had never heard him blunder before.

"It's okay." She said hoarsely and tried to get to her feet. She sighed when her body didn't comply and nodded down at her knees. Haku placed his hand on her thigh and warmth immediately spread through the frozen limbs. Chihiro stood up and stared up the steps at the deserted market place. At the end of the square towered the monstrosity of a building. Steam billowed from pipes and vents, mingling with the residual morning haze, giving the impression of a brooding dragon lying in wait. Chihiro didn't wait for Haku to prod her on. She walked forward. Everything in the square was still. No shadow spirits stirred at all in the light, the only sign of activity were the food vending stalls that steamed and prepared food by invisible hands for the night to come. Haku stopped when they reached the bridge.

"Chihiro, before we go inside I must warn you. Nobody is to know that Yubaba is fading. If they find out there will be absolute chaos. As far as any of them are concerned, Yubaba is shut away in her office settling accounts. Do you understand?"

"Uh…yeah." She said hoarsely. Haku nodded and led the rest of the way.

Chihiro stayed two steps behind Haku at all times, her head bowed to avoid the gazes and whispers of the bathhouse occupants. As before, she did not belong here, and they all knew it. After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the final elevator and Chihiro leaned heavily against the wall.

"I don't know, Haku. This is too much! I'm not a gullible little girl anymore! None of this makes any sense!" She said. Something was welling up inside her and she had the irrepressible urge to scream or laugh or rip open the elevator door and jump. Haku grabbed her shoulders and stared into her face.

"Look at me!" Reluctantly, Chihiro turned her gaze into his deep, hazel eyes and calmness washed over her.

"Everything is going to be fine, alright? You are just going to talk to Yubaba and I'll be right beside you the whole time. If you don't like what she says, then we'll leave then and there. There are no tricks and no strings. You can leave the bathhouse whenever you want to." Haku said levelly. His eyes never shifted from hers and she nodded just as the elevator stopped with a cheerful 'ding'!

Yubaba's suite, just like the rest of the bathhouse, hadn't changed at all. The same tapestries and vases towered along the dark hall, meant to make you feel small and insignificant.

_It sure is working. _Chihiro thought to herself. Haku led her to the grand door and burst through without invitation.

"Everything is going to be fine." He murmured when they reached the office door. He reached down and squeezed her hand lightly before opening the door and walking through. The office was empty.

"Wait here. I'll go see if she's ready to see you." Haku said and disappeared through a side door. A clock ticked loudly from above the monstrosity of a fireplace. Chihiro shifted uneasily from foot to foot as she waited. A fly began buzzing around her head and she swatted at it with her hand. She missed and the insect whizzed indignantly in front of her eyes. It was then that she noticed that the bug sported a small, orange beak.

"Oh my goodness! I'm sorry!" Chihior said and held out a finger for it to land. The bug…bird…whatever it was buzzed it's wings in irritation, then nuzzled her fingertip. Chihiro smiled at it, feeling a little lighter from the warm gesture. She stroked its head lightly with her pinkie and didn't even notice Haku's return until he placed a hand lightly on her shoulder.

"She's ready to see you now." He murmured. The bug flew away and Chihiro fell into step behind Haku once more. Haku led her to an extravagant bedroom where a large face with an even larger nose peeped over the edge of the covers. A raspy voice chuckled harshly.

"Haku, you may leave us now." Yubaba growled from the depths of the quilts. Haku scowled, but didn't move.

"NOW HAKU!" Yubaba yelled. Haku doubled over with a short cry of pain, grasping at his head. Then, an invisible hand shoved him backward through the door and it slammed shut. Chihiro turned to face Yubaba, eyes wide with fear.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, dear. But he's been quite rebellious these past few years and that's all I can seem to do to control him anymore. Now. Down to business. Come into the light where I can get a good look at you." Yubaba purred. Chihiro took in a calming breath and walked over the bedside.

"Well, would you look at what a beautiful young woman you've become! Now wonder Haku aged his form!"

"Thank you." Chihiro said uncertainly. "I don't meant to sound rude, but…why the hell am I here?" The statement was supposed to sound bold and confident, but her voice cracked and wavered causing Yubaba to begin cackling. Chihiro mentally cursed her failing nerves as a blush worked its way up her cheeks and Yubaba's laughter turned into a coughing fit. Yubaba finally reached for a decanter and took a healthy swig of an amber liquid, which seemed to restore her composure. She took a deep breath and stared into Chihiro's eyes.

"What? You don't think I would ask you to come here just to see how you're doing? That hurts deep down." Yubaba said. With a mighty effort she managed to heave herself into a sitting position against her pillows.

"It's an awful lot of trouble to go through for just that." Chihiro said with a shrug.

"You're right. Let me just get to the point then and save us both a lot of energy. I'm dying." She stated. Chihiro pursed her lips and nodded. "I need someone to hand over the bathhouse to, along with everything in it, all my possessions, all my employees and most importantly, my son." The breath caught in Chihiro's chest. This was the last thing she had expected. Her voice was lost in her throat as she tried to even come up with an answer to something like that.

"Well! Say something you ungrateful little brat!" Yubaba hissed.

"Why me?" Chihiro finally managed to ask.

"Well, don't ask me! You weren't the first on _my _list. In fact, you weren't even _on _my list. It was all my sweety's idea. He decided whom he wanted to be his caregiver and I have no choice but to do as he wishes."

"But…what about Haku? Haven't you been training him as your apprentice? Or even Foreman! I don't know the first thing about running a bathhouse for the spirits! And Zeniba loves Boh like a son! Surely she would take him in…!" Yubaba cut off any further exclamation with a harsh laugh.

"The foreman? That imbecile couldn't manage the soot balls in the boiler room. And Haku would burn this place to the ground if given the chance. As for Zeniba. No. As sister spirits, we share the same fate. When one dies, both die."

Chihiro lowered her eyes and ran this all through her head. Yubaba dying was one thing, but Zeniba! Chihiro's heart wrenched at the thought of losing her kind old adopted grandmother.

"But I'm a human! I'm mortal! This wouldn't work! None of the employees would listen to me! Not to mention the amount of power it takes just to keep order! How could you even think I could take this job?" Chihiro sputtered.

"You couldn't. It would be impossible for a human to even begin to understand the deep-rooted ways of my bathhouse. Not even mentioning the other factors of the spirit world you would have to face daily. No mortal with a lifespan as short as yours could take this responsibility." Yubaba said.

"Then why even offer it to me if it's impossible?" Chihiro asked.

"I said it was impossible for a human." Yubaba said. Chihiro frowned and ran this through her head.

"Aren't I a human?" She asked uncertainly. She didn't think she could handle surprise that big. Yubaba began to laugh.

"Of course you're a human! What else would make that god-awful smell?" Yubaba wheezed.

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you're talking about then."

"There are ways." Yubaba said, pouring liquid from her decanter into two crystal glasses. She offered one to Chihiro who immediately drained it. "You see, there is a certain ceremony. It's a very tricky one to pull off. When a spirit fades, their power is released to just float around in the atmosphere until it is recycled into a newborn spirit. I personally think it's a waste of a lifetime of hard work. But with this ceremony, my sister and I would be able to transfer our power into another. If you accept my offer, you will give up your mortality and your human life. You will be the recipient of a lot of power and a lot of money to live on for centuries as you wish." Yubaba took a sip from her glass to wet her throat. Chihiro refilled her own glass and drained it again.

"But if you don't accept, you will be returned to the mortal world. Your memories will fade once again and you will go on with your meager existence: Throwing yourself at a job in that poor excuse of a bathhouse, trying to fill the empty void of the lost part of you, looking for comfort in the insufficient arms of that human boy. Even without your memories, you know you are an outcast of your own world and you will live your life very much alone. You would haunt the tunnel as you've always done, but never go through. Over time, your body will begin to decay around you and you will die. But you won't receive comfort in death because the veil will be lifted. You will remember my offer and you will not be content in the plane of death, as you should. You will be a miserable little shadow until the end of time." Chihiro glared down into her glass.

"What makes you think you know so much about me?" She asked.

"I'm a witch! It isn't too hard to spy on you and read the desires of your heart."

"That certainly is quite the argument." She said weakly. Yubaba laughed and drained her cup.

"It's the truth, girl. Take it as you will." Yubaba said. "I really don't see why it should be a hard decision. In my place you will have anything you could hope to want. You've wanted to manage a bathhouse of your own? Well here you go! You want a handsome young man to dote upon you? Haku is bound by magic and contract to do anything you say, but it doesn't look like it will take much to convince him. He would be very willing to do anything you ask of him." Yubaba said with a wink. "Absolutely anything." Chihiro frowned.

"Haku is my friend! I would never take advantage of him or... Wait, what will happen to him if somebody else accepts your offer?" She asked. She cursed herself inside immediately after asking it as Yubaba's face split into a grin. Chihiro had just played right into the old crones hands.

"He will be their slave. He would have to do everything he's told and be punished harshly if he doesn't comply. And as I've said before, he's quite rebellious. He probably won't survive another fifty years with that thick head of his." Yubaba said thoughtfully. Chihiro glared at her.

"I can see that you'll need some time to think this over." Yubaba said and the door sprang open at a wave from her hand. Haku stood on the other side looking vehement. "Haku, show the girl to her room and make sure you bring her back here at sunset." Haku bowed and nodded for Chihiro to follow him. They both remained silent until they reached the elevator.

"What did she do to you?" Chihiro asked nervously.

"Don't worry about it." He murmured. They climbed out of the elevator and Chihiro found herself immediately engulfed in a cloud of pink linen.

"They said you'd come back but I didn't believe them! Now here you are! Oh man, look at how much you've grown! I can't believe this!"

"Lin!" Chihiro cried and thumped happily on her old friend's back. The pretty spirit hadn't changed a bit. Lin pulled back and cupped her hands around Chihiro's face.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I-" Chihiro began but Haku placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Yubaba wanted to talk to her. I'm afraid we can't tell you any more than that." He said. Lin gave him an irritated glance then did a double take.

"What the heck happened to you?" She asked. Haku didn't answer her but turned to Chihiro.

"Come on Chihiro. We have a lot to do today." Chihiro gave Lin another hug and promised to look for her later, then she followed Haku into the bustling passages. Chihiro had never been in the guest wings before. In fact, she discovered that she could only navigate a small fraction of the bathhouse on her own and was now almost completely lost. The rooms were separated by elaborately painted screens. As they passed some, Chihiro could hear whispers and see shadows moving around on the other side as the spirits prepared to sleep until nightfall. Haku stopped at one sliding door and opened it for her to walk in. The room was simply furnished, with only a bed and small wardrobe, but the walls were breathtaking. The screens were all richly painted to resemble mountains dotted with ruins. Across from the sliding door was another door which led out to a balcony. Chihiro stepped through this and gazed out across the fields of soft green grasses and wildflowers. The boards beneath her feet were warm from the midmorning sun and she could smell the mixed aroma of the flowers beneath her and the incense from the room behind. For a moment, she felt truly at peace.

"Do you like it?" Haku asked.

"It's great." Chihiro said, propping her elbows on the railing.

"I'm glad." Haku smiled and pointed at another door at the end of her balcony. "I've put a spell on that door. If you ever need me, all you need to do is step through and it will take you right to me."

"Really?" Chihiro asked. Haku smiled and nodded. Chihiro cocked an eyebrow and walked over to the door. She pulled it open, but all she could see was a black curtain. She glanced back at Haku who was leaning casually against the railing.

"Go ahead. Try it." He said. Chihiro turned back to the curtain, closed her eyes and stepped through. Her first thought was that it felt much like going through a screen of water. It was cold, and it almost felt wet, but when she was on the other side she was completely dry. She opened her eyes and found herself nose to chest with Haku who was still in the same spot against the railing. Chihiro glanced over her shoulder, but there was nothing there but the bathhouse wall.

"Woah." She said softly. Haku smiled.

"There are some more people I'm sure you want to see. Come on." Chihiro began walking back towards the room, but Haku took her hand and pulled her tight against his chest. Before she could say anything, he tipped backwards over the railing and both of them began plummeting. The ground rushed towards them and Chihiro couldn't even muster the breath to scream.

* * *

Review if you have a heart. 


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

Wow. Sorry everyone for the delay in update! Life has been hectic the last little while what with three different graduations and starting to work full time for the summer. 

Today's advice is dedicated to my pal Kieth! Wherever you are Kieth, I won't go out with you, but you do owe me a burrito party!

Easy on the curbs!

* * *

Chihiro became lost in the feeling of the cool air whipping around her. She held tight to Haku's hand as she had done ten years ago, the vast expanse of fields and woods rushing by below her. She knew they must have been flying for a number of hours, but time didn't really seem to matter. They passed small communities every now and then, sometimes Haku would drop them low enough to brush their toes in the long grass of meadows or cast ripples in the water of the flooded rice fields. Then the air started to thicken and lying before them was the edge of Swamp Bottom. Haku touched them down gently at the front door of the small cottage. White bubbles of smoke drifted from the chimney and even from outside they could smell the pleasant aroma cooking food. Chihiro knocked softly on the door and No-face opened it a few seconds later. 

"Uh?" he grunted gently. Chihiro smiled and bowed to him.

"It's so good to see you!" She said, unsure of whether to touch him or not.

"Come in, Chihiro dear." A raspy yet soft voice called from the house. No-face stepped aside and allowed them entrance. The room was softly lit and very warm. Zeniba was sitting in a rocking chair with a blanket over her lap. She set her embroidery aside and held out her hands to Chihiro. Chihiro rushed forward and knelt down in front of the old witch.

"Granny! How are you feeling?" She asked anxiously. Zeniba laughed and touched Chihiro's cheek.

"I'm feeling fine dear. You have no doubt spoken to Yubaba." Zeniba said.

"Yes." Chihiro said, staring into Zeniba's face in search of the same deadly pallor Yubaba had. But other than a slight look of exhaustion, she was the picture of health.

"I am still dying, Chihiro," Zeniba said as though reading her mind, "But I have accepted it, unlike Yubaba who is wasting all her energy trying to prolong her life." Chihiro cast her eyes downward, trying her hardest to suck back the impending tears.

"Now now dear. There is no need for that. Come, you two must be hungry! I have a batch of dumplings in the oven which will do you a world of good." Zeniba stood up and shuffled over to the oven. No-face helped her take the dumplings from the oven and they all settled around the table. Zeniba chatted lightly, asking Chihiro to recount nearly every detail of her life for the past ten years. And so Chihiro told them of school, her family, her job. She felt herself opening up and telling them everything. She didn't know if it was a result of magic or stress or the three glasses of Yubaba's whisky. Or perhaps a combination of all three. In any case, by the end of her tale she was sobbing at the memory of her argument with Saru. Zeniba handed a handkerchief to Chihiro and she hastily wiped her eyes with it.

"I didn't mean to cause you that much trouble. I'm sorry." Haku murmured. Chihiro sniffed and shook her head.

"It's not your fault he overreacted. It probably wouldn't have worked out between us anyway." Chihiro sighed and picked at her food.

"You sound as though you've given up on this boy!" Zeniba said. Chihiro shrugged.

"I was never actually sure of 'us' to begin with." She muttered. Zeniba glanced at Haku whose face was carefully blank.

"Well, you never know. Perhaps things will sort themselves out when you return to the physical world." Zeniba said, keeping Haku in her peripheral vision. There was the faintest twitch of his eyebrow and she knew. With a smug smile she turned all her attention back on Chihiro who was fiddling with the handkerchief in her hands.

"Yeah, maybe." Chihiro said uncertainly. She really didn't know what to think of anything at the moment. Haku grunted softly and stood.

"I'll be right back." He muttered and stepped out the door.

"Chihiro, I know what my sister asked you." Zeniba said. Chihiro looked down at her hands.

"What should I do?" She asked.

"That is only for you to decide my dear. Although I do admit that I would trust no one else with this responsibility. It is, however, very important to me that you don't let the feelings of others govern your decision. The life of a spirit is very different from what you know. I want you to be absolutely certain about what you want before you accept or deny anything. Because if not, it is a long and miserable road ahead of you." Zeniba said, her eyes boring into Chihiro's. Chihiro moaned and buried her face into her hands.

"I don't know what I want!" she mumbled. Zeniba rubbed a large soft hand on Chihiro's back.

"Just take some time. You don't have to make the decision now, but when you do make it, make it for yourself." She said.

"Thanks Granny." Chihiro said, wiping the last traces of tears from her cheek. Haku knocked gently on the door and walked back in.

"I'm sorry Chihiro. Yubaba is calling me back to the bathhouse. Would you like to stay here or…" He trailed off with a small shrug. Chihiro glanced up at Zeniba.

"Go ahead dear, you only have a few days to be here and I'm sure you want to see all your friends as much as possible before you have to leave." Zeniba said with a kind smile.

"Thank you Granny." Chihiro said with a small bow of the head. She hugged Zeniba tightly and took a step away. "Oh! Here's your handkerchief!" Chihiro held the white square of fabric out to Zeniba who shook her head.

"No, you go ahead and keep it!" She said. Chihiro smiled and bowed again. Haku bowed low to Zeniba, then opened the door for Chihiro. With a small farewell wave to No-face, they were airborne once more. The flight back to the bathhouse was even more peaceful than before. The sun was just preparing to set as they landed at the bridge. Everything was still but there was a certain stirring of energy as the spirits prepared to begin their twilight roaming. Haku let go of Chihiro's hand and glanced at the bathhouse.

"I have duties to take care of. Will you be alright on your own, or would you like me to escort you back to your room?" He asked.

"I'll be fine." Chihiro said. Haku nodded and sidestepped through a small gate, leaving Chihiro completely alone. Chihiro glanced up at the monstrous building and began her crossing over the bridge. She couldn't help but try and hold her breath the entire distance. Halfway across the red paper lanterns began springing to life so suddenly that she let in an involuntary gasp. She laughed nervously to herself, shoved her bangs out of her eyes and hurried over the bridge. A few toads began crawling from side doors, each bearing an identical lantern to welcome guests. They paused to glance curiously at Chihiro, but hustled about their business without a word towards her. Chihiro entered the bathhouse and began wandering the floors. She thought of retiring to her room since she hadn't slept at all in thirty-six hours, but quickly abandoned it as she breathed in the familiar scents and listened to the frantic sounds of business.

"Chihiro! There you are!" Lin yelled from a floor below. Chihiro peered over the railing and waved. Lin had a bucket filled with ragsdangling from one arm and an assortment of brooms and mops tucked under the other. Lin beckoned Chihiro down and she was only too happy to comply. Lin didn't ask Chihiro for her help, but it just seemed so natural that she didn't need to. When they reached one of the remaining tubs that needed cleaning, Chihiro immediately stripped down to her undershirt and femme boxers and began scrubbing the wood floors. Lin chatted amiably with her the whole time, making her recount once more the story of her life. Within thirty minutes they were both soaked through and flush faced and the tub was spotless. So they moved onto the next one.

"You are so lucky!" Lin said, listening to Chihiro speak of the horrors of highschool. "I have been stuck in this pit for the last four hundred years! There hasn't been any kind of change in that entire time except when you showed up. You can't imagine how boring it is being an immortal." She grunted, scraping at the inside of their current tub.

"I don't know. I think drama is overrated. I rather like drudgery myself, thankyouverymuch." Chihiro said, wiping a wrist across her eyes, then regreted it at the powerful smell of the lye soap on her fingers. Lin grunted and grabbed a heavy duty brush from the bucket.

"You don't know what you've got, pal. But hey, I only have forty-seven more years on my contract! After that I'm free to go as I please!" She said and attacked an offending spot with new fervor.

"Really? What are you going to do after you leave?" Chihiro asked. Lin stopped scrubbing and frowned.

"I hadn't really thought about it. I'll probably wander around for a while until I find something else to do with myself." She said with a shrug. "That's only if Yubaba doesn't creep around and have a whole new contract drawn up for me. She's been known to do that with some spirits. I just hope I'm not important enough for her to want to keep." Chihiro frowned and crawled out of the tub to get fresh water. On the way back she ran right into a spirit. She glanced up at it and a chill shot down her spine.

"My apologies sir!" She said and tried to sidle past him but he reached down and grabbed her wrist, nearly causing her to drop her steaming bucket.

"No harm done my dear human." He breathed. His skin was pale and dry and held a deep coldness. It took all her restraint not to rip her arm from his grasp. He was a very handsome spirit, resembling a tall, muscular young man and Chihiro was very conscious that he was wearing nothing beneath his complimentary robe. There was something about his face that uneased her. He had a small nose and a wide mouth that seemed set in a permanent grin. His head was so clean shaven that it glistened under the warm red lanterns. But what was really offsetting were his lidless yellow eyes. Chihiro seemed both captivated and repulsed by those eyes. The spirit leaned close and breathed in Chihiro's scent. She could feel his cool breath on her face. That alone was enough to send shocks of fear through her system. There was no smell to the spirit, but more of a sense of decay about him. Chihiro shuddered and tried to pull away.

"If you'll excuse me then, I really should get back to work." She said firmly. The spirit stared at her face for a moment before finally releasing her arm. Chihiro could feel his eyes on her back as she walked back to Lin's tub with measured steps and shegave a thankful sigh when she finally ducked through the screen and hastily wiped a fist under her nose, trying to get the strange phantom smell of the creature away.

"Hey, you okay?" Lin asked. She relieved Chihiro of the bucket and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah! I'm fine." She said. She peered cautiously out of the stall, but the spirit was gone. "I'm fine." She said again and climbed back into the tub. Lin shrugged and joined her, starting a fresh conversation. Soon the strange spirit had left Chihiro's mind completely.

* * *

After the tubs had all been cleaned, Chihiro began roaming through the bathhouse like a phantom. She recognized a few faces every now and then and even ran into the Radish spirit at one point. He grumbled kindly at her before lumbering on to the bath awaiting him. She found herself mentally calculating the cost of housing guests and fulfilling their dietary needs which seemed extreme at times. In the space of ten minutes she witnessed one spirit that could only eat the tongue of predatory fish and another who didn't eat food, but rather needed to sit in a room which remained at precisely six hundred degrees at all times. There were others who weren't particular about what they ate, so much as they had a lot of it. With this in mind, Chihiro drifted down to the kitchen. She only recognized a small percentage of the food being served, but it all smelled wonderful. She realized that Zeniba's dumplings had been hours away, but she felt uneasy about eating anything the cooks set in front of her. It might have been a subconscious fear of being turned into a pig. The only time she had eaten anything her last time in the spirit world had been when either Haku or Lin had given it to her. As Chihiro readied herself to swallow her fear along with a bowl of steaming noodles, she felt a hand on her shoulder. The hand was cool and the memory of the strange spirit she'd met earlier immediately sprang to mind. Chihiro whirled around and knocked her bowl to the ground with a crash. She sighed in relief to see Haku behind her, his face pinched with a slight frown. 

"What are you doing here? And where are your clothes?" he asked, casting an involuntary glance at her gray and black underclothing.

"I'm eating." She said, waving at the broken bowl on the floor, which was already being cleared away by a frog "and I left my clothes with Lin. I didn't want them to get ruined while I worked!" Haku's frown deepened.

"Work? Did Yubaba put you on contract?" He demanded.

"No. I just wanted to help…for old times sake." His expression eased slightly.

"That's very kind of you Chihiro, but it is dangerous for you to just wander the bathhouse when you have no connection to it. I'll get you something to eat, but you should really be up in your room." He pulled her arm gently towards the hall, but Chihiro planted her feet.

"Haku, it's really important for me to see the bathhouse before I have to go back to the human world." She said firmly. Haku glanced at her curiously, then pursed his lips in thought.

"Alright." He said a moment later, "But promise me you'll stay with Lin at all times. There are some…undesirable …spirits wandering around here." The face of the spirit resurfaced in Chihiro's mind and she nodded whole-heartedly. "And for gods sake, would you please put on some clothes?" He muttered. Chihiro frowned and glanced downward. She was way more modestly dressed than half the yunna's, not to mention the guests who wandered around in nothing more than a loincloth.

"Um…okay." She said. Haku took her into one of the back hallways and summoned a pink uniform with a wave of his hand, then turned his back as she pulled it over her underclothes. Chihiro would have laughed openly at this had she not been touched by his concern and sense of honor. Haku then led her down to the floor Lin was working and left Chihiro to help guide and serve guests. He reappeared once a few minutes later with a fresh bowl of noodles, but Chihiro saw no more of him for the rest of the evening.

* * *

"Come on!" Lin begged, keeping a firm grip on Chihiro's arm to keep her from taking the hall to her room. 

"Lin, I'm exhausted!" Chihiro laughed.

"You can sleep later! How often do you think it is that we get the chance to throw a party?" Lin asked.

"Knowing you…"

"All right, so we had a party three days ago. But not a 'welcome back' party so you're coming whether you like it or not." Lin said and began dragging Chihiro towards the familiar shinshitsu. Apparently one of the women had a bit of magical ability, because colorful banners had been summoned which read 'WELCOME HOME SEN' There was one hanging outside the room and Chihiro could see the shadows of more draped from the ceiling inside. As her eyes scanned the characters an uncomfortable lurch went through her stomach. But it was shoved aside at the sounds of giggles and cheers when she stepped inside and Lin yanked her hand up as though she had just won a boxing match. Chihiro stared stupidly as a saki was shoved into her hand. With another glance at the signs, she shrugged and took a deep drink from the bottle with the cheers of old friends ringing in her ears.

* * *

Erm, I'm not to sure about this chapter, but I figured it really is a much-needed update no matter how bad it is, so…yeah. Please make me feel better by reviewing! And I'm sorry if there were any reviews I didn't answer last time around. I try to answer them all, but I tend to lose track, that and I'm just plain lazy. 


	5. Chapter 5

Hee hee. It's after two in the morning! WOOOO! I'm recovering from jet lag. I think that's all that needs to be said. And I have to be at work at 6:30 tomorrow. That's going to be fun. Anyways, thanks to those that reviewed! I love you all!

Advice: Play doh always tastes better when it's homemade!

* * *

Chihiro tripped over her feet and fell against the wall where she then collapsed in a giggling heap. She tried to stand back up, but her legs didn't seem to want to cooperate. She crawled over to where a tapestry was swaying with the slight breeze from the window. She grabbed the coarse fabric and pulled herself up to her feet. The tapestry itself was half ripped from the wall from the assault. Chihiro focused on a window at the end of the hall and made for this, all of her concentration spent on putting one foot in front of the other in a straight line. She failed and found herself once more on the ground. 

"Chihiro?" The voice was muffled and strangely distorted. Chihiro looked up and glanced around trying to figure out where the voice had come from. The first thing she saw was a painted china vase. She leaned close and peered at it suspiciously.

"Hello?" She asked, peering into the top. A hand rested on her shoulder.

"Chihiro."

"Ssssh!" Chihiro said angrily and shoved the hand away, focusing once more on the vase.

"Chihiro, what are you doing?" It was that strange muffled voice again, but it was coming from behind her. She turned her head and blinked at the figure of Haku who was staring at her with an expression of shock on his face that Chihiro found hilarious. Haku frowned and began unwrapping the turban from around her head. Chihiro blinked in astonishment as the world suddenly regained somewhat normal sound.

"I told you not to wander around here by yourself! Are you okay?" Haku demanded. Chihiro giggled hoarsely.

"Yesss ossiffer." She slurred. Haku frowned and pulled her to her feet.

"You're drunk." He said bluntly. Chihiro glared at him and ripped her arm out of his grip.

"I am not drunk!" She said indignantly, staggering slightly but remaining upright, "I'm intoximat…imoxi…I'm drunk!" She stated and glared as though daring him to contradict her.

"I believe you." He said, taking her arm again, "Where's Lin?" Chihiro just laughed and leaned against his chest. Her arms snaked around his waist before he could protest and she sniffed his shirt appreciatively. Haku, on the other hand, nearly choked on the reek of alcohol that emanated from the hair a mere inch below his nose.

"So that's what a dragon smells like!" Chihiro mumbled, breathing in his faint, natural scent of salt and moss. Haku gasped and coughed from her own scent. He reached behind him and took a hold of her wrists, carefully extracting himself from her grip. Chihiro pouted at being denied his warm body and took a purposeful step towards him. Haku sighed and placed his palm against her forehead.

"This is going to be unpleasant, but you'll thank me for it later." He said. His hand glowed faintly and Chihiro felt a pleasant warmth spread all the way down to her toes. Then there was a rushing sensation that flowed upwards rapidly. Chihiro gasped and then cried out in pain as a clear liquid began gushing out her nose. She dropped to her knees and gagged as nearly half a cup of pure alcohol left her system with a splatter on the floor. Her sinuses burned and her head pounded. A white light blared behind her eyes and the world was spinning. She clenched at the tiled floor to keep herself from floating away. Then the spell passed and she was left gasping. A moment later, something soft touched her face. She opened her eyes and after a second it clicked in her brain that the soft thing was a handkerchief. She grabbed it and blew her nose, letting out a choked sob as she did so. When she pulled the handkerchief away she saw blood spattered against the pure white. Haku put a hand beneath her chin and tilted her face towards him. He gently stroked the bridge of her nose and the burning gradually dissipated. Chihiro glared at him.

"What did you do that for?" She asked groggily.

"It was for your own good." He said, taking her arm and pulling her to her feet again. Her legs felt like butter. Haku wordlessly picked her up and carried her back down the hallway towards her room. He flicked his head in passing, the alcohol disappeared and the tapestry righted itself. Chihiro sighed and shook her head.

"I'm sorry." She said, suddenly thankful for the dim lighting in the hall as her cheeks began burning with shame. "Just so you know, that's the first time I've ever been completely drunk. I promise it isn't a regular occurrence." She said hastily. Haku nodded and the rest of the walk to her room was spent in silence. The covers of her bed pulled back by themselves. Haku set Chihiro down gently and the quilts drifted back up, tucking around her. Then Haku turned to leave.

"Haku, wait." Chihiro said softly. Haku paused at the door.

"Yes?" He asked. Chihiro bit her lip and sat up.

"Yubaba wants me to take over the bathhouse." She blurted. Haku watched her thoughtfully for a moment then slid the screen door shut with a sigh.

"I had figured it was something like that." He murmured, walking back over to he bed and sitting on the edge. Chihiro shifted her gaze down to the patterned quilt across her knees. She traced the curve of a flower with her fingertip.

"I'm scared." She whispered. Haku looked up at her and reached for her hand. He stroked her knuckle with his thumb and flashed her one of his rare smiles.

"There's nothing to be scared about. Yubaba can't force you to do anything you don't want to." He said softly. Chihiro sighed.

"But I don't know for sure if it _is _something I don't want to do…I mean, I might actually want it a little, but what happens if I do take her offer?" She asked. Haku pursed his lips and shrugged.

"Everything would sort itself out if you did choose to stay. You would learn. It would be tricky, but you would learn."

"But then what about my family? What would they think if I just disappeared? And what about Saru? I couldn't do that to him!" Chihiro said, burying her face into her knees.

"Staying with them would be a good decision too." Haku said awkwardly. Chihiro grumbled incomprehensibly into the quilt. They sat in silence for a while, the question of her future hanging heavily around them. Chihiro sighed and raised her face. It was late in the afternoon. She could see the daylight outside, but from some kind of magic it was dark inside her room. In five hours the sun would set and the bathhouse would spring into life once more. And Yubaba would be waiting for Chihiro's answer.

"If I were to take over the bathhouse…would I be able to annul contracts?" Chihiro asked hesitantly.

"No. Only Yubaba would be able to do that since the contracts are under her seal." Haku said, glancing back at her. Chihiro pursed her lips.

"What would a different master make you do? You and everyone else?" She asked.

"Chihiro, this is a decision you need to make for yourself, not for any of us. Before a new master could take over the bathhouse they would have to sign a binding contract themselves. This would keep them from mistreating or manipulating any of the workers. So you don't have to worry. Everything would be fine if you choose not to stay." Haku said, squeezing her hand gently.

"Now get to sleep. You must be exhausted." Haku said, standing up. He placed a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back down onto the pillow.

"Thanks Haku." Chihiro mumbled. Haku touched her forehead lightly and warmth spread behind her eyes, causing them to droop. Chihiro managed to stay awake long enough to watch Haku leave the room, but she was sound asleep as the screen slid closed.

* * *

Chihiro sat nervously in a very hard chair in Yubaba's office. Lin had brought her up that morning since Haku was on an 'errand' but then Lin left the office hastily right after. Chihiro couldn't blame her. The room was extremely foreboding in its own tacky, cluttered sort of way. Plus the spirit was suffering from a massive hangover. Chihiro shook her head in sympathy and glanced around the room. It was the same as it had been ten years ago, with clashing furniture and gaudy crystalline ornaments. It still smelled the same as well. Stale cigarette smoke and cheap perfume. There was also the underlying whiff of old woman. Chihiro couldn't help but wonder just how old Yubaba was? And how long had the witch been fading? She seemed very powerful and very lively the last time she had seen her. But then a memory flashed behind Chihiro's eyes of standing in front of the large desk, watching Yubaba as she grumbled to herself and righted the contents of the room with a wave of her hand. Yubaba had struggled with fixing the lamp. Chihiro hadn't thought anything of it at the time, but now she wondered if that was one of the first signs of Yubaba's digression? Chihiro was snapped out of her musings as an eight foot tall baby toddled into the room. 

"Sen!" He cried and waddled up to her with surprising speed for one so big.

"Hello Boh!" Chihiro said as she stood up. Any further dialogue was cut off as the huge toddler wrapped his spongy arms around her and lifted her clean off the floor in a rib-cracking hug.

"I'm so glad Mama decided to see you!" Boh said, setting Chihiro back on the ground. Chihiro only smiled and nodded as she tried to regain her breath.

"So has Mama told you the surprise, Sen?" Boh asked.

"Yes. And I was _very _surprised. I'm waiting to see her again right now." Chihiro said, waving a hand towards Yubaba's bedroom door.

"So are you going to stay here?" Boh asked. Chihiro opened her mouth and paused. There was such a look of innocence and hope in his chubby eyes that she couldn't bring herself to give him her answer. She just smiled weakly and shrugged. Boh took this as affirment and clapped his hands.

"Oh it's going to be so much fun! We'll be able to play all the time!" he giggled. Chihiro nodded sadly. The side door to Yubaba's bedroom opened with a crash. Chihiro took this as a summon for entrance and squeezed Boh's hand for confidence. It was only when Chihiro had stepped through the doorframe that she noticed someone was already in the room with Yubaba. The tall, pale spirit that Chihiro had met the day before was standing at the foot of Yubaba's bed. He was dressed completely in black, with a floor length velvet trench coat despite the warmth of the room and the sight of him left Chihiro slightly breathless. He turned his startling yellow gaze on her and the corner of his wide mouth twitched in a phantom smile. Chihiro bowed quickly to him, then turned to Yubaba. She could feel his eyes still on her as she waited for the old witch to overcome the most recent coughing fit. Her skin seemed to burn under his intense gaze.

"Hebi, you are dismissed now." Yubaba wheezed. 'Hebi' bowed gracefully to Yubaba, then to Chihiro. He held her face in his eyes for slightly longer than occasion called for, then glided out of the room with a flourish of his coat. Chihiro stared at his retreating back stupidly until the bedroom door slammed shut, cutting off her view. Chihiro turned quickly back to Yubaba, ignoring the slight blush on her cheeks. Yubaba pretended not to notice.

"So then. Have you made your decision?" Yubaba asked, her voice even raspier than usual. Chihiro hesitated, then nodded.

"I have"

"And?" Yubaba hissed impatiently.

"And…" Chihiro paused. Boh's face flashed into her mind, his eyes twinkling with trust. Then Lin's face came, smiling and laughing as she danced around the room. Then came Kamaji's face. Chihiro hadn't had a chance to see him and she felt a slight pang of regret for forgetting about him. Several other faces flashed, each of them with it a dear memory. Then came the face of Haku, the corner of his mouth upturned in the faintest of smiles, his eyes deep and understanding. Chihiro sighed.

"And I've decided that I'll think about it." She said softly, casting her eyes to the marble floor.

"WHAT?" Yubaba roared. Chihiro jumped back as wind filled the room, swirling papers and doilies around her in a whirlwind. The tantrum only lasted a few seconds as Yubaba's energy drained, leaving her gasping and limp.

"I'll think about it." Chihiro said firmly. "I'll need more time and…I'll think about it."

"You don't…have time…you little brat!" Yubaba wheezed.

"If I don't have the time I need, then my answer is no!" Chihiro said, glaring at the witch. Yubaba matched her glare and added some ice.

"You have three days. I can't give you any more than that." Yubaba finally growled, "Now get out of my bathhouse." Chihiro bowed and dodged out the door as quickly as she could. Haku was in Yubaba's office, Chihiro was both surprised and happy to see him. He looked up and nodded to her in greeting.

"Is there any way I can get back to the human world right now?" Chihiro demanded. Haku's eyes widened slightly in surprise. He glanced out the window where the daylight was quickly fading.

"If we move now we should make it in time." He said softly. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the window where he leapt over the railing without further adieu. By flying they made it to the river's edge within a minute. He touched them down gently on the grass and nodded towards the distant church.

"Thank you Haku." Chihiro said, squeezing his hand before letting go. She ran down a couple of steps, then stopped. She turned back and hugged Haku tightly. He jerked in surprise, then wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her close for a moment.

"Tell everyone goodbye for me." Chihiro mumbled. Haku nodded and pulled away.

"You should go now or you won't make the link." He said. Chihiro nodded.

"I guess I'll see you in three days then." She said. Haku's eyes widened slightly. Chihiro took a deep breath and turned towards the church.

"Don't look back. Right?" She asked.

"Actually, you might want to look back this time." He said. Chihiro opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but he cut her off. "Go!"

Chihiro was running, the soft grass swayed around her feet. She didn't have her shoes; there had been no time to grab them. She made it to the rise of a hill and stopped. She turned back and stared at the buildings where lights had began coming to life. Haku was still standing at the top of the steps, his clothes blowing around him in the breeze. Chihiro clenched her teeth and began running again until she got to the tunnel. She turned then as well, but she couldn't see the bathhouse any longer. She couldn't even see the glow of the lights against the sky. She had made it back. She walked backwards through the tunnel.

* * *

Wow. It is late…or early depending on how you think about it! I only have four hours until it's time to get ready for work. Today is going to suck! Please make it suck less by reviewing. It would only make me absolutely ecstatic to come home on my lunch break to a whole plethora of reviews! 


	6. Chapter 6

Okay. My friend Mel told me to update so I have bottle-fed my new kitten, procrastinated, watched t.v., thought of writing something, attempted a nap, procrastinated some more, re-fed the kitten and drank three glasses of grape soda. I think I'm just about ready. I WOULD update my FMA story but SOMEONE still has my box set and I need it for inspiration…plus I just crave it. So I'm holding the Shonen Jumps captive until a deal can be reached!

There is fluff in this chapter! Perhaps a bit too much fluff for a good Christian girl like me (coughs), but I'm entitled to some evil-ness, and I had fun writing it…So you have been warned.

Today's advice: Always carry dental floss lest the corn-on-the-cob driveth you to MADNESS

* * *

Chihiro drifted from room to room of her small apartment, absentmindedly picking things up and rearranging them. Her mind constantly buzzed over which she would miss more; her world or the spirit world. When she thought of the spirit world she knew how hard it would be to leave it and never look back. Mostly because she had experienced the emptiness once before. She didn't know if she could bear the thought of living like that again. But could she really just up and leave her family and friends behind? The spirit world was such a confusing place. Nothing was logical and nothing made sense. Yet the spirit world was the inner functioning of the entire universe, so of course it made sense. Just not her kind of sense. Chihiro rubbed her hands over her face in frustration. She glanced around her living room. She knew modern conveniences like electronics wouldn't be difficult to give up. She hardly ever watched t.v. unless she was with someone else and she only used her computer to type logs and documents. She could definitely live without it. Chihiro sighed and walked into her kitchen, hoping that frivolity of preparing food would preoccupy her mind for a few minutes. But seeing the frozen dinners in the freezer only made her yearn for the extravagant food of the spirit world. Chihiro slammed her freezer door shut with a frustrated cry, grabbed her coat and stormed off to work. She still had one more day off, but she needed the distraction.

The walk to her office did a bit to clear her head. The cool breeze wafted around her carrying the scent of spring flowers and rain. Chihiro paused in front of a garden shop and watched a fat Koi fish circle lazily in an artificial pond. There was a stone bench close by, Chihiro made for this and sat down on the icy granite to think some more. She would definitely miss her parents if she chose to leave. But they had moved away from this small community three years before. There had been a rift between them when Chihiro refused to make the move to the big city. At the time she didn't know why she had fought so hard to stay behind. She had finally run away, calling from a payphone in the evenings to make further negotiations with her mother since her father refused to speak with her. Finally, her parents gave in and Chihiro lived with a friend while beginning her career at the Honshitsu. It had only been recently that she had begun reconciling with them. She would definitely miss them. She was missing them now! Something slithered in a bush next to her bench. Chihiro leaned over and peered cautiously through the crisscrossing branches. A mottled brown garden snake glared up at her and slithered deeper into the bush. Chihiro suppressed a shudder as she quickly stood from the bench and continued the two blocks to the bathhouse.

Chihiro glanced at the bath attendants in their blue kimonos and the haughty rich people making loud comments and even louder demands. It all seemed so fake. It all seemed so abnormal. Chihiro shoved her way to her office and shut the door tightly behind her. There was a small stack of papers on her desk, obviously left by Bosu for her to take care of tomorrow. Chihiro picked these up and sifted through them without really noticing what was actually on them. She put the papers back down and glanced around at her desk. Sitting next to her keyboard was the small dragon figurine that Bosu had given her. Chihiro couldn't help but smile as she reached out and gently stroked the bearded porcelain face. Her muddled thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on her door.

"Yes?" She called, yanking her finger away from the dragon as though it had burned her finger.

"Um…it's me." A deep voice rumbled shyly. Chihiro sighed.

"Come in." Saru sidled into the office and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Hey." He said with a nod in greeting.

"Hey." Chihiro answered, leaning back in her chair and watching him speculatively. Saru swallowed thickly and shuffled his feet.

"We weren't expecting you back until tomorrow." He said.

"I decided to come back a little early." She said looking down at her desk and shifting some papers. Saru nodded and both fidgeted in the gauche silence that lay heavy around them.

"Did you need something, Saru?" Chihiro asked, glancing up at him.

"Um. I just wanted to see how you were doing." He said, lowering his eyes.

"I'm doing good." She said. Saru nodded and shifted his gaze over to her wall.

"Look, Chihiro. I…I wanted to say that I'm sorry," Saru blurted, "I was out of line back there and I was stupid and jealous and…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, or accuse you. I was being a jerk and…I would really like to start over from where we left off…Do you think that you could ever forgive me?" Chihiro rubbed her hand over her mouth and looked up into Saru's dark eyes.

"Start over where we left off?" She asked uncertainly. Saru nodded anxiously, pursing his lips. Chihiro could feel the eyes of dragon statue on her, but she shoved the feeling away and slowly smiled.

"I'll buy the pizza this time."

* * *

Rain pelted against the apartment window and the occasion rumbling of thunder would add to the background sounds. Chihiro and Saru lay smashed together on the couch, both faintly illuminated by the glow of the televison. Chihiro rubbed her face against his chest and kissed his jaw. Saru smiled and stroked her hair with his thumb. She turned her head so she could get a good look at his face. She couldn't help but marvel at what a beautiful man he was. With straight-edge features, dark hair, dark skin and black eyes. She rubbed a finger along his arm which was waxed hairless for his line of work. Saru seemed pleased with her attention. He turned his head and kissed her softly, touching his tongue tenderly against her bottom lip before pulling away and waiting for her next move. Chihiro pretended to fix her gaze back on the television, even though she didn't take any notice of what was actually happening. Saru seemed resigned and resumed watching the television as well. After a few minutes, Chihiro tilted her head so she could watch him from the corner of her eye. Saru's face split into a grin and his laugh rumbled deeply beneath Chihiro's ear as something amusing happened in the movie. Chihiro was tempted to reach up and run her finger down the side of his face so she could feel the deep grooves of his dimples. Saru's face relaxed and the opportunity passed.

_This is my reason to stay. _Chihiro said to herself firmly as she watched him. _I _AM_ going to stay. _She wrapped her arms firmly around his waist and glared at the t.v., daring it to try and change her mind. A few minutes later she began to doubt her choice once more. The strong arm around her shoulder and the chest beneath her face were wonderful and she felt safe in his embrace. Yet it didn't seem to quite fit. Chihiro wriggled a little to get more comfortable, but still there was the slight taint of unease. The decision was driving Chihiro insane. She needed an escape. She grabbed Saru's face roughly and mashed her lips against his. He was surprised, but didn't complain as she sat up and straddled his waist. Saru chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him and working his tongue against hers. Chihiro could feel his growing need for her and it only made hers stronger. She wrapped her fingers in his hair and pushed her lips even harder against his, enough to leave them both bruised. Saru groaned and slid his hands up the back of her shirt. His fingers fumbled clumsily with the clasp of her bra. Chihiro was about to allow herself to succumb completely to the sensations she was sharing when Yubaba's face drifted behind her eyes.

"_Your memories will fade once again and you will go on with your meager existence: Throwing yourself at a job in that poor excuse of a bathhouse, trying to fill the empty void of the lost part of you, looking for comfort in the insufficient arms of that human boy…" _The old witch's voice rasped. Chihiro pulled away slightly and stared at the upholstery of her couch. Saru tightened his grip on her waist and sucked on the tender skin at the base of her neck. Was it true? Was she only using Saru for the distraction his body could give her? She loved him as a friend, but did she love him deeply enough to keep her rooted here? And happy? The answer struck her hard. She didn't. And making him think she did made her feel sick. Saru groaned and nipped lightly at her neck, pulling her back to the present. Chihiro pulled from his arms and sat up, staring at him sadly. He grinned at her, obviously expecting something creative to further the nights entertainment. But the grin faded at the sight of her face.

"Chi, what's wrong?" He asked. Chihiro swallowed and climbed off the couch. Saru frowned and stood up to follow her into the kitchen. Chihiro filled a glass with water and took a deep drink. Saru stepped up behind her and rubbed her shoulders.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked again. Chihiro bit her lip and turned to face him.

"Saru, I…I don't think I can keep doing this." She said.

"Keep doing what?" he asked darkly.

"I've…been deluding myself and I only just realized it." She said knocking her knuckles against the counter surface.

"Deluding yourself? How have you been deluding yourself?" He asked with a cautious smile. He reached up and cupped the side of her face. Chihiro pulled his hand away.

"Saru, I feel sick about myself and I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have. I really do love you, I swear I do…but not the same way you love me and…" she trailed off lamely.

"You're breaking up with me, aren't you?" Saru asked. Chihiro glanced up at him. His tone wasn't one of accusation, it was as though she had confirmed something for him.

"I'm sorry." She said, shaking her head. Saru licked his lips and swallowed.

"So, _is _it that guy?" He asked.

"Partly." Chihiro admitted, "But mostly, I've been offered a new job, far away from here. And…I've decided to take it."

"Well…I hope you'll be happy." Saru choked. Chihiro looked up at his face and only caught a glimpse of his clenched jaw and wet eyes before he spun on his heels and left her apartment without another word. Chihiro sighed and rubbed her hands over her eyes as the television continued to blare. Outside her window, a pair of yellow eyes smirked before fading into the darkness and the rain.

* * *

Golly this story is depressing. Please review anyway. 


	7. Chapter 7

Meh. I don't know what to say up here except for the usual 'thanks for the reviews' schpeel. So there ya go.

Today's advice: Choose the Right!

* * *

"There's nothing I can do to change your mind?" Bosu asked hopefully as he watched Chihiro place the last of her belongings into a cardboard box.

"I'm so sorry Bosu. But this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I've thought about it a lot and it's not something I could let myself pass up." Chihiro said with a sad smile. Bosu sighed.

"Well, in that case, I bought you this." He pulled a bouquet of roses from behind his back. Chihiro stood up and accepted them with a small smile. "I know how much you like bouquets." He said with a slight shrug.

"Yes, I do. Thank you." She said touching one of the half-open bulbs tenderly.

"No, I should be thanking you. You've really added a light to this place. We're really going to miss you here." Bosu said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm going to miss you guys too." Chihiro said, her voice cracking slightly. Bosu smiled and rubbed her arm.

"Just make sure you stop by and visit whenever you're in the area." He said.

"I will." Chihiro said after the faintest of pauses.

"Are you sure you don't need me to drive you back to your apartment?" Bosu asked eyeing the last box skeptically. Chihiro shook her head and picked the box up with a grunt. Bosu shrugged in defeat and held the door open for her to edge through. Chihiro nodded her thanks to him and left the building. After depositing the box in the dumpster, Chihiro began the walk back to her apartment for the last time. She stared dolefully at the roses as she walked. She really would miss everyone. The people at the bathhouse had become almost like family to her. Something rustled in the tall grass at the edge of the sidewalk. Chihiro shuddered and clutched the roses to her chest. It was definitely painful to give it all up, but it would be better if she just shoved it all aside for now. There were three little girls sitting on a curb talking animatedly. Chihiro stopped and gave them the bouquet with a small smile. They thanked her enthusiastically and cooed over the flowers.

Chihiro sighed and pushed the door to her apartment open a few minutes later. The last two days had been frantic: settling debts, bidding farewell, foreclosing her apartment and donating all her possessions to charity. Her apartment was now almost completely bare. There wasn't even any food in the fridge. She planned on walking to the spirit world entrance that night to wait for Haku, but it was still several hours away from sunset. Chihiro walked over to her counter and set the keys down. She stared at them for a moment, then turned to walk through the apartment for the last time. But the hallway to her bedroom was blocked by a tall figure.

"Saru! You scared me!" Chihiro said, clutching at her chest. Saru smiled and took a step towards her.

"Um, what are you doing here?" Chihiro asked. There was something about his face that was off setting. His grin broadened and he continued walking towards her.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Saru pulled a sword from behind his back. Chihiro shrieked and jumped backwards. Her hip hit the corner of the counter, sending a jolt through her body. But that pain was only fractional to the burning of the swordtip biting into her thigh. Chihiro screamed and her legs collapsed beneath her. Saru laughed and held the sword up to the light. A few drops of blood trickled down towards the hilt. He smiled down at her and waved his hand. Pressure closed all around her and she felt herself standing up against her will. She was pressed against the fridge, and the pressure continued to build around her until she could barely breath. She stood there trying to squirm, watching in horror as Saru merely smiled at her. Her vision began to cloud, and still he smiled. Her heart was beating frantically in her ears as though commanding her to take a breath. Then, something seemed to burst from Saru's neck, spraying Chihiro's face with blood. His smile disappeared and he sank to his knees. Standing behind him was the pale, bald spirit. The one Yubaba had called _Hebi. _He stared gravely at Saru's body for a moment then stepped over it just as the pressure around Chihiro released. Chihiro began sinking with a small cry, but Hebi caught her before she hit the floor.

"HOW COULD HE DO THIS!" Chihiro shrieked shrilly, staring at Saru's slack face and glazed eyes. But even as she watched the face melted away into shadows until there was nothing left but a black puddle.

"That wasn't the man you know." Hebi said, his voice a hoarse whisper. Chihiro looked at him in astonishment. "Come. We need to tend to your wound." He picked her up and carried her over to the couch. Hebi peered closely at her leg. The wound was deep and blood was quickly spreading over her jeans. Chihiro felt her whole body begin quivering as she watched it.

"Ssssh. Take a deep breath. It will be okay in a second." Hebi said, squatting in front of her and placing his palm over the wound. Chihiro gasped as her entire leg began to burn as though it had been stabbed all over again. Hebi murmured softly to her and slowly lifted his hand away from her leg. It felt as though bugs were crawling all through beneath her skin as the ripped flesh continued to burn and began knitting back together. Then everything stopped and she felt nothing at all but the warm stickiness of her blood-soaked jeans. Hebi smiled at her and patted her knee. Chihiro gawked at him, her jaw flapping until she finally found her voice.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!" She yelled, her voice a few octaves higher than normal. "WHO ARE YOU? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Hebi waved his hand through the air as though trying to push away her stress.

"Don't worry. Everything is fine. There is no reason to be upset." He said softly.

"I WAS JUST ATTACKED BY MY EX-BOYFRIEND THEN WATCHED HIM GET KILLED BY SOMEONE I DON'T EVEN KNOW! HOW IS THAT FINE?" Chihiro shrieked.

"I already told you, that wasn't the man you know." Hebi said calmly. "You are about to inherit one of the most prosperous facilities in both the spirit and physical world. You should have realized there would be those who would try and take it from you." He smiled and sat down on coffee table.

"As for who I am, I was sent by Yubaba to protect you."

"Oh." Chihiro said softly. Then everything rushed to her head at once and the world turned black.

* * *

Chihiro awoke to a cool washrag being dabbed across her forehead. She groaned and opened her eyes to find Hebi smiling at her softly.

"You humans really are clumsy creatures." He said. It wasn't and insult, it was more as though he were stating a fact. Chihiro swallowed thickly and glanced over at the kitchen. The dark puddle was gone.

"Don't worry. I've already cleared it up." Hebie said, dipping the cloth into a bowl of water. "Now hold still. You have blood on your face." He brought the cloth back up and gently rubbed her cheek. Chihiro swallowed again and tried to speak. It took a few attempts as her throat was unnaturally tight, but she finally managed a whisper.

"So just who are you?" She asked.

"My name is Hebi. And as I've already told you, I was sent by Yubaba to protect you." He said, moving his attention from her cheek to her nose.

"So…you're one of her employees?" Chihiro asked. Hebi smiled and shook his head.

"I was once, a few decades ago. But not anymore." He wrung the cloth out and began wiping her other cheek.

"How do I know you're not going to do anything to me if you're not under contract with Yubaba?" Chihiro demanded, her voice shaking. Hebi sighed and pulled his hand away from her face.

"I know the spirit world is still strange to you and I recognize that you are leery of me. I assure you that I'm glad of that because the spirit world is a very dangerous place and it would be far more dangerous for you to become comfortable with it before you understand it. But I promise on pain of death that I am not here to do you any harm. I owe you very much and have a personal reason to keep you safe." He said, his wide mouth tilting slightly.

"I've never even officially met you before. How could you be in my debt?" Chihiro asked cautiously. Hebi shook his head and waved his hand causing the bowl and cloth to disappear.

"Perhaps I will tell you one day. But for now, we should be going." He said, helping Chihiro sit up.

"Wh-where are we going?" She asked.

"Home of course." He said standing up and offering his hand.

"But…" Chihiro frowned. She had expected Haku to take her back, not this weird stranger. Hebi lifted a hairless eyebrow at her quizzically. Chihiro pursed her lips and made a decision. "I…I need to make a phone call first." She said.

* * *

"Hello?" A deep voice mumbled.

"Daddy?" Chihiro asked nervously.

"Chihiro?…How have you been sweetheart?"

"Alright I guess. I've been offered a very good job." She said, trying to keep her voice from shaking too much.

"That's wonderful." Her father said. Chihiro swallowed and continued.

"Um…is Mom there with you?" She asked.

"Nope. She's gone over to your grandmother's for the weekend."

"Oh." Chihiro fiddled with the phone cord for a few moments, trying to think of what to say.

"Are you alright sweety?" Her father asked.

"Yeah! I'm fine. Just…just give Mom my love for me, okay?" She asked.

"Chihiro, what's going on? You don't sound right." He asked anxiously.

"I'm fine Daddy! Don't worry about me. I'm going to be okay…I promise…Don't worry, I'm completely safe…"

"Chihiro! Tell me what's going on right now!" He demanded, his voice becoming frantic.

"I love you Dad…Goodbye."

"Chi-" Chihro dropped the phone on the receiver and turned to Hebi who was watching her with those strange yellow eyes. Chihiro choked back a few tears and nodded at him. He gave her a small smile and led her out the door.

* * *

Wooo! That chapters finally over with! I've had it halfway completed for the last week and a half. Please remember to review. 


	8. Chapter 8

Hmm…I've just realized that I have 37 people alerting this story. Golly, it sure would be nice if a few more of them reviewed…hint hint, nudge nudge. And I think there was some confusion over the last chapter. Saru didn't attack Chihiro, it was an assassin that just disguised itself. Sorry about that. I will try to make myself more clear from now on.

WHY DOES EVERYTHING SMELL LIKE THE COPYING MACHINE? (ahem)

Today's advice: A dollar earned is a pickle scorned. So show compassion to the pickles and give me your dollars.

* * *

Chihiro's eyes skimmed carefully over the thick-stacked pages of her contract. There was a raspy chuckle from the bed in front of her.

"A little leery are we?" Yubaba wheezed. Chihiro glared over the top of the pages at the ancient witch before resuming her reading.

"Of course not. I'm just making sure everything is in order." Chihiro said sweetly, flipping to the next page. Yubaba laughed and reached for her bottle of port. By the time Chihiro finished reading the contract and re-reading for any missed factors, Yubaba had fallen into a light doze. Chihiro took the Peacock feather quill from her slack hand and carefully inscribed her name. Just as she finished the last character, the double door opened and Haku walked through carrying a sack that jingled with his movement. He froze when he saw Chihiro standing there with pen and paper in hand.

"Ah, Haku. You are just in time. I want you to take Chihiro downstairs and put her to work in minor management." Chihiro jumped and whirled around to glare at Yubaba.

"Working beneath you wasn't part of that contract!" She growled.

"No, the contract stated that in the case of my demise you would take over all management and responsibilities thereby. But I am alive right now and so you will work and receive at least a bit of training before you get the full load. God, I cringe to think about he state of my bathhouse the first ten years you're in charge!" Yubaba sighed. "Take her down to the bottom floor. Inform the others of the situation and tell Foreman to keep an eye on her." Yubaba waved a hand in dismissal. Haku bowed shortly.

"Follow me." He said to Chihiro. She couldn't quite tell, but it almost sounded as though there was an icy edge in his voice. He certainly didn't seem too pleased to see her back. Haku set the mysterious sack on a table next to the door and walked out without waiting to see if Chihiro followed. Chihiro had to jog to catch up to him, and he remained as emotionlessly silent until they got to the elevator and were halfway down to the midpoint.

"Um…did I do something wrong?" Chihiro finally asked.

"No." Haku said. The elevator chimed and the doors opened. Haku exited briskly. Chihiro sighed and followed.

"I'm getting the feeling that something _is _wrong." Chihiro persisted.

"I already told you. Nothing is wrong." He said.

"Than why are you so cold all of a sudden?" Chihiro demanded.

"I'm not cold. I'm very happy that you were able to reach a decision." Haku said, shoving through the throng of busy spirits. They came to the second elevator and Haku pulled the lever a little harder than was necessary. Chihiro gave him a sidelong look, but thought it better to not pursue the matter. She instead folded her arms with a 'hmph' and matched his haughty silence. However, she didn't have as much self-control as him.

"Just tell me what the hell is wrong!" She said loudly. Haku glanced at her out the corner of his eye, but said nothing.

"Haku, please." She pleaded softly. Haku growled and turned to face her.

"You shouldn't have given yourself up like that! You're going to be a slave to this bathhouse for the rest of your life! Do you realize that?" He demanded. Chihiro frowned.

"I thought you wanted me to stay." She said quietly.

"I do! I did! I mean…" He stood there sputtering for a moment, trying to order his thoughts. He sighed softly and looked into her face, " Chihiro, seeing you again after so long has been a dream come true for me. But you're in way over your head by staying here! The life of an immortal isn't very glamorous and it can get old fast to someone who was born a mortal. In your world everything is constantly changing and improving. But not here! Here it's the same thing every day for centuries at a time! And it's dangerous here as well! There will be several assassination attempts on you within the month! That's a fact! There have been two incidents where Yubaba has been nearly killed in her bed just this week. I just…" Haku's voice trailed off. His hand balled into a fist and with a small, frustrated cry he punched the iron elevator frame. "I'm sorry if I ever made Yubaba's offer seem appealing…I was being selfish and now…I'm so sorry Chihiro." Chihiro watched him cautiously. She had never seen him display so much emotion before. Haku had always been a solid, impenetrable structure. This small display of humanity was very comforting to her. She reached out and took his hand, pulling it towards her. His knuckles were split and bleeding. She kissed the offended appendage softly then smiled at him.

"You don't have to worry. This is what I want to do. I'll be okay." She said. Haku returned her smile and squeezed her hand, a phantom of a blush feathering his lean cheeks. There was a faint ding and Chihiro felt suddenly heavier as the elevator stopped. Haku sighed and pulled his hand from hers. He closed his eyes and when he opened them again his face was once more blank and cold. He walked out to the center of the ground floor. He stood still for a moment with his head bowed and his eyes closed. Very gradually his shoulder-length hair began to stir in some non-existent breeze. He lifted his hands and flipped his wrists. A shockwave swept through the bathhouse, causing Chihiro's heart to skip a beat. She couldn't say if it were a sound or a magical physical force that she felt. It was almost like a string of emotions had washed over her requesting immediate attention. She definitely wasn't the only one to have felt it. The laughing and chatter ceased immediately and spirits rushed to peer over banisters, all attention rapt on Haku. Haku lifted his chin regally to them all and began speaking. He wasn't yelling, but his clear voice carried throughout the facility.

"There have been rumors passing amongst you of late concerning the whereabouts and health of Yubaba." He began. There were a few muffled whispers and shushing from above and Haku waited patiently for the small noises to stop before continuing. "For the most part, they have been correct. Yubaba's spirit is nearly spent. She is dying and we can't expect her to last for more than a few more months." There was another rush of murmuring and another shock wave emitted from Haku causing them to abruptly silence.

"The guardianship of Boh and the ownership of the bathhouse is being deeded to one being. The Human, Ogino Chihiro." Haku looked at her sharply and Chihiro stepped forward obediently midst the stares and whispers of the employees and customers. Chihiro smiled weakly and shrugged.

* * *

Chihiro sighed and leaned against a beam for support. It was nearly sunrise, and with the sun came the beckoning from the physical world for the spirits to return and attend to it as it woke. Chihiro stretched her neck and heard a satisfying pop. Haku had delivered her into the hands of the foreman who had given her a very detailed tour of the entire bathhouse, explaining the history and purpose of everything from the west wing to the crown moldings on his desk. Chihiro was exhausted, she felt as though her head was going to pop, and she was exhausted. She would have crawled back to her temporary room among the customer lodgings, but for the nagging guilt in the back of her head. She still hadn't visited Kamaji.

She knew the path to his little sliding door intimately and found that her feet took her there without a single pause. She crawled through the door and shut it quietly behind her. The heat of the boiler room was like a punch in the chest and she felt her cheeks immediately flush with heat. The soot balls were still hard at work hauling coal to the furnace and Kamaji was on his dais mixing the herb concoctions for the baths. She knew that he knew she was there, but his absorption in his work couldn't allow him the time to pause and acknowledge her. Chihiro sat down on the floor matt and watched silently as Kamaji crushed the fragrant herbs in his mortar. All six arms moved constantly, the ancient, wiry muscles shifted tirelessly beneath his shabby coat. His movements along with the steady, mechanical sounds of the furnace were almost hypnotic. Chihiro's eyes glazed over as she watched him and all sense of time slipped from her mind. One of the hands reached back lazily, a copper kettle held in the warped fingers. Kamaji nudged her lightly with the kettle, snapping her back to the present.

"Oh!" She said apologetically for her slowness. She took the kettle from him and crawled through the small sliding door to the taproom outside. Chihiro wasn't all that sure what she was supposed to fill the thing with, but upon some comparative sniffing she filled it from a large oak cask with a pale, green herbal concoction. Chihiro carried it back into the boiler room where Kamaji immediately relieved her burden and took a healthy swig, all without breaking the constant rhythm. Chihiro sat back down and allowed the trance to wash over her once more. Deep within the steady sounds of the clanking and grinding she got her first, true glimpse of timelessness. And she really didn't think immortality was so bad. Half an hour passed and the rhythm was interrupted when Kamaji began banging his mallet against the iron wheel. All the movement ceased immediately and the soot balls scurried back to their holes. Kamaji stretched his shoulders and hoisted himself from his perch with a soft grunt.

"I was wondering when you'd find your way down to my boiler." He said in his familiar voice like gravel in a blender. Chihiro flashed him her most charming smile.

"I am sorry, Kamaji." She said, "I have no excuse. I should have visited you sooner." Kamaji squinted an eye at her through his smoky glasses and let out a raspy chuckle.

"You really are a full grown woman, aren't you?" Kamaji said, "They had told me you were, but I was still expecting a knobby-kneed little girl to show up and call me 'Mr. Boiler Man'." Kamaji took her hand and patted it fondly. "Come then. Sit down and speak to me while you still can." Kamaji said, motioning at the cushion on the floor. Chihiro sat down obediently.

"What do you mean, 'while I still can'?" Chihiro asked. Kamaji shrugged his lean shoulders.

"Once you become a witch and full owner of the bathhouse it would be improper for you to visit a boiler slave." He said. Chihiro gaped at him.

"I'm going to be a witch?" She asked, her hand instinctually rising to her nose. Kamaji laughed.

"Don't worry. You'll look exactly the same as you do now." He said, shaking his head in amusement. Chihiro smiled.

"And don't _you _worry. I'll always find time to visit you." She said.

"Always is a very long time." Kamaji sighed. They settled into a comfortable silence. The boiler room was like a sauna. Chihiro felt very much like a noodle. The thought of it almost made her giggle, but she managed to suppress it. She leaned back on her elbow with a sigh.

"Why is it called immortality if you can still die of old age?" Chihiro asked suddenly. She hadn't even realized she'd asked it until Kamaji began answering her.

"We call it death, but we never really die. Our bodies get spent with time, and then we become recycled. Our power and experience filter out to others unless means are taken as they are with you." Chihiro rolled this new information around in her mind.

"Just how old are Yubaba and Zeniba?" Chihiro asked. Kamaji chuckled and scratched his bald head.

"Goodness, I don't think even _they _could tell you that. They must be somewhere over six-hundred thousand years old by now." He said. Chihiro's eyes widened in surprise.

"That's a big number." She said.

"Oh, yes. I suppose it is." Kamaji said, reaching behind himself for his kettle. He offered it to her, but she waved it away. Kamaji shrugged and drank deeply from the spout. Chihiro watched him thoughtfully. Kamaji's small body was hunched and disfigured from age and labor. His homely face was almost held together with wrinkles and liver spots. He looked very much older than either of the witch sisters.

"How old are you, Kamaji?" Chihiro asked. Kamaji chuckled again and fiddled with his white mustache.

"I don't remember. That ought to tell you something about how old I am." Chihiro couldn't see his eyes, but his eyebrow scrunched in such a way that passed as a wink. Chihiro smiled and stood up.

"Hmm. I should let you get some sleep." She said, stretching her arms and groaning when her spine popped back into place. "Oh, wow. I can't wait until I'm used to the nocturnal schedule." She grunted.

"It will come with time. Sleep well, Chihiro. And make sure you come down and see me again." Chihiro bent and kissed his grizzled forehead.

"Of course I will. Thank you Mr. Boiler Man." Chihiro said and crawled through the sliding door. Kamaji watched her leave and sighed when the sound of her footsteps receded to nothing.

"Good luck." He whispered and closed his eyes.

* * *

Chihiro had barely emerged from the lower elevator when Lin swept down over her.

"There you are! Why didn't you tell me about your deal with Yubaba?" Lin demanded. Chihiro stared at her for a moment, trying to gather her muddled thoughts after her time in the sweltering heat of the boiler room.

"Oh, erm…I was told not to say anything and there wasn't a deal at the time, I was still thinking about it." Chihiro said. Lin rolled her eyes and grabbed Chihiro's arm, dragging her to her room.

"I just can't believe it! Why in the world would Yubaba leave the bathhouse to a human? No offense." Lin said shoving Chihiro's shoulders so that she sat down hard on the bed.

"I mean, we all expected she was about to croak, but we had thought she was going to hand it over to some powerful spirit. Especially when ole snake eyes showed up." Lin had crossed the room to the armoire without invitation and began sorting curiously through a number of brand new tunics and dresses for Chihiro's disposal.

"Ole snake eyes?" Chihiro asked, tilting her head.

"Yeah, I'm sure you'll see him skulking around here. Nobody knows his real name, so we just call him what he is, Hebi, a snake spirit." Lin said, pulling out a gold tunic with a mild exclamation of awe. She began pulling off her uniform without ceremony.

"I've already met him. He saved me from a spirit disguised as my boyfriend yesterday and brought me back." Chihiro said, standing up to help Lin wriggle into the silk top. "Snake spirit, huh? I guess that explains a lot."

"Oh really?" Lin asked interestedly, popping her head through the proper opening with a triumphant cry. Lin threw a quick glance at Chihiro before sauntering over to a mirror. That glance was enough for Chihiro to note the gleam in the spirit woman's eyes and the slight compression of her lips. The very taste of the air changed and Chihiro sensed the spirit bristling with gossip.

"What about him?" Chihiro asked obediently.

"Gee, I'd love to tell you, but maybe I was told not to." Lin said impishly, pulling her loose hair into a pile on top of her head and admiring the effect. Chihiro tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"I wonder what the punishment is for a bath attendant to disrespect her manager?" Lin dropped her hair with a small growl of disgust, but Chihiro could tell she had been about to burst keeping the tidbit inside.

"Let's just say, I would be careful around him if I were you. He used to have Haku's job about thirty years ago. Nobody could figure why, he was a very powerful animal spirit. We were told he found refuge at the bathhouse because of a war between his family and a rival tribe, but it was obvious Yubaba had tricked him into it. He's pretty easy on the eyes you know, and Yubaba is a pretty lonely old witch. So, he would do Yubaba's dirty work and act as a spy in less than desirable places. He was obviously a slave like the rest of us, but Yubaba never let her eyes off him. You say you've met him? Then you know how charming he can be. He chased the tails of quite a few Yunna's around here. Yubaba didn't like that, especially since despite all her looking he wasn't looking back. She finally couldn't take it anymore. She left the bathhouse under control the foreman and then disappeared along with Hebi. Two weeks later, she came back alone. A little while after that, she gave birth to Boh." Chihiro gaped at Lin.

"You're saying that hebi is Boh's father?" She asked. Lin's grin broadened.

"That's what it looks like." She said, winking. Chihiro laughed and shuddered.

"That's disgusting." Chihiro said.

"I know, isn't it?" Lin said, turning back to the mirror. "Everyone thinks he wouldn't submit to her advances, so she offered him his freedom in exchange. I personally don't think freedom would be wroth it." She stuck her tongue out at her reflection, and then began peeling the gold silk off. She made a slight face when pulling her pink linen back on. "So I guess what you can learn from this is that you should be careful with Haku."

"What? Where did that thought process come from?" Chihiro asked, surprised. Lin snorted and flipped her hair.

"Oh please. It was obvious he was nuts about you even when you were a dopey little kid. And now look at you. Just watch your back. Hebi..Haku… all those reptiles are the same." Now it was Chihiro's turn to snort.

"Trust me, Haku only sees me as a friend." Chihiro said. Lin pursed her lips and glanced out to the balcony where she could just make out the edge of the black doorway.

"Whatever you say."

* * *

Happy Halloween all! So sorry for the lack of update. I am just a horrible person and should be strung up by my thumbs over a pit of hungry, half-rabid ferrets. 


	9. Chapter 9

Gah! Sorry everyone! It's been so long since I've actually sat down and written something. I've kinda been a slacker and haven't even thought about the plot. But now I've got a few days off, so I decided I might as well get something done.

Today's advice is actually a quote taken from my boss who completely screwed this metaphor over. It was just so funny that I have to share it. Tell me if you know what he was mis-quoting! First one gets some virtual Bazooka gum:

_You can catch more bears with sugar than you could if you threw lemons at them._

Lol. Oh Ed, you tard.

* * *

It was into Chihiro's third sunset at the bathhouse that she began to feel it. It was the sudden buzzing of the millions of spirits beginning to stir. Almost the instant the sun touched the distant hills a shock went through her body, tingling every nerve to life and making her more aware of everything than she had ever felt before. She could feel the power and movement of the spirits surrounding her and she herself felt the need to get out of bed and begin roaming. Her senses seemed almost inhumanly enhanced. One thing that stood out to her was a putrid smell that she couldn't describe. She sat up and sniffed around cautiously. The smell was coming from her clothes! Chihiro let out a small startled cry and began throwing off her sheets when there was a soft knock on the door. 

"Who is it?" She called, taking another timid sniff at her clothes.

"It's Hebi. I've come to assist you." A deep voice rasped from the other side of the door.

"Huh?" Chihiro asked. Hebi seemed to take this as an invitation to enter. The door swung open and he slid through with a breakfast tray balanced in one arm. He smiled and nodded to her in greeting, placing the food on the bedside table.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Chihiro asked.

"This is part of your training." Hebi said, reaching behind Chihiro and propping her pillows up so she could sit back against them. Then he proceeded to lay a cloth across her lap and hand her a bowl of hot noodles, "When you take over the bathhouse your apprentice will help you get prepared for the evening and inform you of your scheduled duties. Master Haku still has Yubaba to attend to, so I was given the task of getting you used to the process." Hebi bowed to her and then walked over to her wardrobe where he began sorting through her clothes. Chihiro stared at him dumbly for a few seconds before turning her attention to her food. She was about to take a bite when the ruffling of her clothes sent another waft of the horrible smell to her nose. Chihiro made a face and drew back.

"Do you smell that?" She asked, putting a fist to her nose. Hebi turned to her curiously and sniffed the air.

"You can smell it?" He asked. Chihiro nodded. "Not to sound offensive, but that is you." He said. Chihiro gaped at him.

"Why do I reek so bad all of a sudden?" She asked, plucking at her clothes.

"You've always smelled that way." Hebi said, smiling. "You just haven't noticed until now." He turned back to the closet and pulled out something that seemed to fit his taste.

"What? Why not?"

"You can only smell it now because your body has begun making the transition to this place." Hebi said, placing the clothes on the foot of her bed. "You yourself don't smell that way anymore since you're now officially a part of the spirit world, but I'm afraid your clothes will need to be burned." He moved over to an elaborately decorated china ewer next to her bed. He placed his hand on the edge and closed his eyes. The ewer began filling with steaming water.

"I can't believe it! It smells horrible!" Chihiro said, taking care to breath through her mouth.

"It is the smell of mortality. You are twenty years old? Well, that is the smell of twenty years of living decay." Hebi said, handing her a wet washcloth. Chihiro took it from him obediently and washed her face.

"That's disgusting." Chihiro said. Hebi smiled and pulled a piece of paper from his pocket before sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"As you eat, I'm to tell you your duties for the night." He said, lifting the paper in illustration. Chihiro nodded and began eating.

"The first thing you are to do is go to Yubaba. She will discuss with you the process for interviewing customers. This is what you will be doing most of tonight, so you can begin getting to know some of the more prominent guests. Then you are to memorize the stock in the basement and herbal inventory. After that it is necessary for you to go to the foreman, he will teach you the processing of purchases and explain our money system." Chihiro swallowed the last of the noodles as quickly as she could and drained a glass of water. She scrambled out of bed and grabbed the clothes Hebi had picked out for her before disappearing behind a decorated screen and ripping off her reeking clothes. Hebi continued rattling off a list of menial chores she would need to do and people she needed to speak to. The clothes she was given were a tunic and pants very similar to Haku's. They were blue and white, but instead of linen the clothes were silk. They were also cut very gracefully and effeminately, made to fit the body like a glove instead of an oversized sack. Holding the shirt up to herself she was almost afraid that her narrow hips and small bust wouldn't fill it out to do it justice. But she put it on and the fit was nearly perfect.

"Are you all right in there?" Hebi asked, having completed his list of tasks.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Chihiro said, tying the drawstring of the pants snugly. She stepped out from behind the screen holding her old clothes at arms length. Hebi took them from her and stepped out onto the balcony to dispose of them. Chihiro sat down in front of her mirror and stared at the assortment of makeup and oils left for her disposal. She took the top off one bottle and began sniffing curiously when something tugged at her hair. Chihiro jumped and spun her head around to see Hebi standing behind her with a brush in hand.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Your hair." Hebi said, holding the brush closer to her face.

"That's not necessary." She said reaching for the brush.

"It's one of the duties of your apprentice. You're going to have to get used to it." Hebi said, pulling it out of her reach. Chihiro pursed her lips and stared at the brush, trying to come up with something to say, but she was drawing a blank. She sighed and turned back to the mirror. Hebi's reflection smiled at her for a moment before all concentration fell on her hair. Chihiro sat stiffly at first as the brush sifted through her locks, disentangling the remnants of sleep, but the methodic rhythm of the process was very comforting. Chihiro hadn't had someone else brush her hair since she was a small child. She never thought it would feel so good. Her eyes drooped shut and she half wondered if Hebi was using some sort of magic on her. If he was she couldn't say she really minded all that much. After a few minutes the brushing stopped and Chihiro's eyes snapped open. All of her hair was pulled back in Hebi's fist and his eyes were scanning the desk in front of her.

"Oh! Here!" Chihiro said, taking her purple hair elastic from her wrist and handing it back to him. Hebi held it up to the light and spun it between his fingers.

"Your friends love you very much." He said, smiling at her. She smiled back and shrugged. Hebi deftly twisted the elastic into her hair and maneuvered the whole lot into a practical bun on top of her head. He stood back, tilting his head to admire the affect then nodded at her.

"You are all set to go." He said.

"Thanks." Chihiro said, standing up.

"Remember, you are to see Yubaba first thing. If you have any questions, ask Master Haku or me. Nobody else is to know your complete schedule for security reasons." Hebi said, walking to the door and opening it for her.

"Um. Alright." Chihiro said awkwardly, "Well, I'll see you later then." She stepped through the door and turned. Hebi had disappeared and the door closed behind her.

The doors to Yubaba's suite opened at Chihiro's timid knock. She stepped through the maze of elaborate hallways, picking her way to Yubaba's study. Haku was there, sitting at Yubaba's desk signing through papers. He stood up respectfully at Chihiro's entrance and bowed his head towards her.

"Yubaba is expecting you." He said, motioning to the bedroom door.

"Um, thank you." Chihiro said, tilting her head in return. The bedroom door opened for her and eased shut the moment she stepped through. Yubaba glared at Chihiro over her covers, her white hair lying soft and limp around her face. Chihiro couldn't help but wonder if Haku had really brushed the old witch's hair that morning as Hebi had done hers. Chihiro was snapped out of her musings when Yubaba nodded towards a large bookcase that covered one expanse of wall.

"There's a ledger over there, take it down." Yubaba growled. Chihiro turned to the bookcase and skimmed over the spines. One caught her eye that seemed to be quivering. It was a thick volume bound in aged red leather. Chihiro took it down and brought it to the side of Yubaba's bed.

"That is a record of our most important guests. I want you to know them better than you know yourself. I want you to meet them, interview them, get them to like you, memorize their faces and their smells, get them to believe that you are the most trustworthy person in the spirit world." Yubaba said, tapping the cover of the book with one long, red fingernail.

"Why?" Chihiro asked.

"Don't question me, just do as you're told girl!" Yubaba hissed.

"Well, I'm taking over this business. You aren't always going to be here to tell me what to do. I want to know why I need to do these things!" Chihiro snapped back. Yubaba glared at Chihiro and began coughing loudly in agitation. Chihiro grabbed the decanter and poured Yubaba a helpful tot of amber liquid. Yubaba swallowed the whole thing at once and sat there gasping until her breathing returned to normal.

"I am a very important figure throughout the spirit world." Yubaba said, reaching to refill her glass. She nodded at a spare glass in offering, but Chihiro shook her head. "I'm not just the proprietor of some bathhouse, I am also one of the most powerful sorceress' in the known world. Spirits and Gods come to me from far and wide for anything from small services of magic to more… illicit services."

"You mean, illegal?" Chihiro asked, cocking an eyebrow. Yubaba chuckled.

"Not so much illegal as services that don't require the immediate attention of the general public." Yubaba said. "Don't be too shocked, the entire spirit world is a rather underhanded place, you'll come to understand that with time. In any case, almost every single on of my business partners has gathered here upon the release of the fact that I'm not going to be around much longer. They want to get to know the person that will be taking over my dealings, they want to make sure that you can handle their business." Yubaba sipped delicately at her glass.

"I won't take part in anything illegal." Chihiro said firmly. "It doesn't bother me at all if I don't cater to shady spirits once you're gone."

"Oh I think it does. Our most important guests also tend to be our most powerful. Refuse them and you might as well draw a target on your forehead and tie your hands behind your back." Yubaba said cheerfully. "Besides. It states clearly in your contract that you swear to continue all of my business dealings for the betterment of the bathhouse. Without those spirits the bathhouse will sink like a rock in a pond." Chihiro glared at Yubaba, then fixed her gaze on the cover of the ledger. She licked her lips and nodded.

"Very good. Remember, you must know everything about them, even their smell. You have to be able to spot them in a crowd and sense them through a disguise. Otherwise, you won't last a month." Yubaba lifted a withered hand and motioned to the door in dismissal. Chihiro stood and left.

Haku wasn't in the study when Chihiro stepped out. Chihiro felt a small weight of disappointment settle in her stomach. Ever since that one…I guess you could call it somewhat tender…moment in the elevator it was as though Haku had been avoiding her. Chihiro tucked the leather volume safely beneath her elbow and began the journey back to her room.

After only a half an hour of sitting on her bed with the heavy book propped open between her knees Chihiro felt her mind begin to wander. It wasn't that the words on the pages weren't interesting, some of the things Yubaba had been doing were downright appalling, but Chihiro just couldn't keep her mind focused on the task. Opting for a small break, Chihiro stepped out onto her balcony. The wood beneath her bare feet still held the warmth and fragrance of the sun. Chihiro sat down on the wood planks and rested her back against the railing. The sky was still in the final phase of twilight. Stars were just beginning to overtake the slight haze of purple settling in the distant purple hills. Chihiro sighed and turned her eyes to the overhang above her head. A black speck stood out against the rose colored plaster. Chihiro didn't realize she was staring at it until her eyes began to water nearly three minutes later. She shut her eyes tightly and sighed as the first cold breeze of the night washed over her. Chihiro opened her eyes and turned her head to gaze out at the town lights across the valley when something black moved in her peripheral vision. Her head whipped around to see what it was. The black curtain hanging over the door Haku had made for her fluttered again in the breeze as though in confession. Chihiro watched it for a moment, then stood up and walked to it. Haku had been heavy on her mind. She would be the first to admit that she had had a bit of a crush on him when they…she…was younger. She had trusted him with her life and her family then, but now the boy with a hidden smile was a man who seemed to be shielding himself from her completely. And now she was a woman. A woman who knew that magic wasn't always rainbows and pixie dust. The thing that had stood out most about the words in Yubaba's ledger was that Yubaba hadn't been doing them alone. Haku was her apprentice. As a child, Lin had told Chihiro several times that Haku was doing Yubaba's 'dirty work'. It hadn't clicked then what the term 'dirty work' actually implied. Chihiro was only a few pages into those records, but already it had spoken of every illegal deed that could be done with the exception of murder, but then again Chihiro _was _only a few pages in. She wouldn't be surprised if she came across a few assassinations a little later. The very thought of Haku doing these things made her ill. She wanted desperately to speak to him, for him to tell her that he had no part in any of it.

Chihiro's finger hovered against the flittering cloth. But what was she supposed to say if she suddenly stepped through? _I'm having second thoughts about everything I'm doing unless you tell me you're a good boy? _Unlikely. Chihiro pulled her hand back and sighed. He would think she was stupid. But she still really wished to have some kind of reassurance from him. Subconsciously, Chihiro's hand lifted once more and reached through the floating fabric. She felt the strange sensation of water running across her hand. Chihiro reached a little farther, her curiosity peaked. Beyond the water was a sudden blast of intense dry heat across her fingertips. The contrast of the heat beyond the door and the falling temperatures around her was almost enough to make her step through by pure instinct. She caught herself as her foot inched towards the door. Chihiro chuckled to herself and began pulling her hand back when something cool wrapped around her fingertips. Chihiro jerked in surprise and almost pulled away, but the thing holding her gripped her tightly and tugged her towards the door. Chihiro squeezed it and stepped through. As she had thought, it was Haku's hand wrapped around hers. He was kneeling on the ground in front of her when she emerged. Although she had expected him, the sight of him there so suddenly, bathed in the red light of the boiler room caught her off guard. His eyes were narrowed in concern.

"Are you alright?" He asked. Chihiro swallowed and nodded.

"I'm fine. I'm sorry if I interrupted you, I was just…well…" Chihiro glanced over her shoulder at Kamaji for help, but the ancient spirit had his back to her and appeared to be completely engrossed with grinding the salts and herbs in his mortar.

"I was going through some of Yubaba's records. I took a break and…um…" Chihiro sputtered and blushed. Haku let go of her hand and rose to his feet.

"Are you sure you're all right?" He asked, eyes narrowed.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Chihiro shrugged and fixed her eyes on her hands. "I should probably get back now, I have a lot of work to do. Again, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…well…I'll see you around." Haku grabbed her arm as she turned to the small sliding door. Chihiro's head whipped back around to face him. He looked at her face intently for a moment, eyes piercing as usual and jaw clenched. Chihiro couldn't read the expression on his face, but those jade eyes seemed to pierce straight through her.

"I'll fly you back to your balcony. It will be faster." He said, finally. "I'll come back to speak with you before dawn, old man." Haku called over to Kamaji. One gnarled hand ceased working long enough to wave to them before returning to its chore.

"It's not necessary." Chihiro said quickly, but Haku had already begun leading her towards the iron door.

"It's not a problem. I was planning on coming to help you later anyways." Haku said, waving his free hand in front of him. The doors opened at his command and the steam hissing from the pipes twisted into an arch, allowing them a tunnel of free air. Once outside, the doors closed and Haku stepped out onto the empty space past the platform, dragging Chihiro with him. Chihiro instinctively gripped his elbow tightly as they floated in the blackness and began soaring around the ancient bathhouse. Seconds later they were landing soundlessly on the balcony outside her room. Haku relinquished her hand and walked into the room to her bed where the ledger was still resting.

"I'm sorry. I didn't even think to warn you about it. I didn't realize it would upset you so much." Haku said, picking up the book.

"It doesn't bother me." Chihiro said awkwardly, stepping into the room. Haku shrugged and sat down.

"You and I both know it does." He said, flipping idly through the pages. "I wish I could tell you what you want to hear, Chihiro." Haku raised his eyes to meet hers and gave her a wry smile. Chihiro shrugged back and walked over to the bed where she sat down beside him.

"I'm not asking you to. I understand." She said gazing at the book in his lap. They sat in silence for a moment, staring at the pages. Haku nudged her arm with his.

"I'll help you understand it a little faster…if you don't mind, of course." He said, lifting a hand in invitation. Chihiro smiled gratefully and pulled her bangs back, leaning her head slightly towards him. Haku placed his fingertips against her forehead and images floated behind her eyes, imprinting themselves in her memory. They were images of faces, and accompanied with them were names, lists, memories, and strangely enough, smells. Hundreds of them popped into her minds eye, the information buzzed into her brain for a split second before it was replaced by the next. Chihiro gasped and grabbed Haku's hand, pulling away.

"I'm sorry. Was it too much?" He asked, lifting his free hand to brush her bangs back out of her eyes.

"No, it's fine. I just wasn't expecting it." Chihiro said, relinquishing his hand. Haku nodded and touched her forehead again. The images came once more, but they came slower with brief pauses in between. Chihiro closed her eyes and took in each one, thinking about each spirit and the role she would have to play in serving them before Haku handed her the next one. Chihiro lost all sense of time as the images played one after the other. Her focus was entirely on the business at hand, and strangely, with Haku guiding her the 'illicit services' didn't seem so bad. The reasons behind them even made sense. After a time, the last bit of information floated to her. Chihiro sat still with her eyes closed, processing it and evaluating it. She seemed to be apart from her physical self. She didn't even notice when Haku's fingers traced a line from forehead to cheek, or when his warm, sweet breath caused the fine hair hanging in her face to flutter. But the feeling of his lips touching hers, hesitant and unsure, snapped her back to the world so fast that she jumped and pulled away from him. Haku drew back quickly and stared straight ahead at the decorated changing screen. He coughed awkwardly and bowed his head. Through his sheet of black hair Chihiro saw a blush burning high on his pale cheeks.

"I'm sorry. I lost track of myself." He said evenly.

"Haku…" He stood up quickly and strode to the door, "Haku! Wait!" Chihiro stood and walked after him, reaching to grab his sleeve. But as her fingers began closing to catch him, he had stepped into the hallway and vanished like a puff of smoke. Chihiro rubbed a hand across her eyes and sighed.

"Thank you." She said to the empty hall. When no answer came she stepped back inside and slid the door shut behind her.

* * *

Sorry again, hopefully that small bit of fluff was enough to appease you. I hope everyone has had a happy holiday! Remember to review! 


	10. Chapter 10

Heh heh. I almost feel embarrassed showing my face around here after abandoning everyone for so long! Four months since my last update? I am a wretched, wretched member of the human race. What else can I say? I don't deserve all of the wonderful reviews you have given me. But please keep sending them! They are my joy!

I started this story over a year ago! How is it that I'm only on chapter 10!?!? Geh!

So your advice for the day: Breath in through your nose, and out through your mouth! Deep breaths! I swear you'll live longer. And sit up straight, ya shlub!

* * *

"It is an honor to serve you, my lord." Chihiro said, bowing as low as she could to the horse god. She stayed doubled over until the clipping of his hard-soled slippers faded around the corner. Chihiro straightened her spine with a small sigh. It was nearing dawn now. The buzzing of energy Chihiro had felt at sunset was fading leaving her exhausted. Half of the night had been spent prowling the bathhouse for those important clients Yubaba had ordered her to meet. The other half had been spent doing every other stupid thing Yubaba had ordered her to do. At this point the only thing she wanted to do was retire to her room where she could empty her full head onto paper and go to sleep.

"Excuse me, ma'am." A small voice squeaked behind her followed by a timid tug at the hem of her shirt.

"Yes?" Chihiro asked, turning to the young frog.

"Yubaba wishes to see you immediately." The frog said with a bow. Chihiro sighed and nodded to him.

"Thank you" she said and set off towards the elevators. _What could she possibly want now? _Chihiro wondered to herself. She was really getting sick of the long climb to Yubaba's suite. Chihiro didn't run into anyone as she entered Yubaba's chambers for which she was thankful. The entire night Chihiro had been afraid of running into Haku. She had no idea what she was going to say to him when she did see him and was perfectly content with that event happening later rather than sooner.

Chihiro could hear Boh singing to himself in one of the side rooms. She tiptoed passed it to Yubaba's bedroom and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Yubaba wheezed. Chihiro entered and bowed to the old witch.

"You needed something?" Chihiro asked.

"I've been monitoring you all night, I just wanted to compliment you. You have done a surprisingly exceptional job in regards to the guests." Yubaba said.

"Thank you." Chihiro said, bowing again. _I came all the way up here for that? _She thought ruefully to herself.

"However," Yubaba said, her voice suddenly filling with enough ice to freeze Chihiro in her bow, "however, you were given a detailed list of all the things you were supposed to do last night. Do you remember what that list said?"

Chihiro closed her eyes and ran the list through her head that Hebi had given her that evening.

"Yes, I came to you and spoke to you about the prominent guests. I memorized them and interviewed those that were here. I also gathered lists of stock and herbal inventory to memorized and foreman reviewed purchases and the money system to me. Then I toured the guest quarters of the bathhouse and back rooms, inspected the attendants' quarters, investigated the kitchens and larder, checked the gardens and the pig stables and tested the drink barrels in the basement." Chihiro said, feeling quite exhausted when putting all the events of the day on the table.

"What about the lanterns?" Yubaba asked.

"Huh?" Chihiro asked. She frowned at the old witch and ran Hebi's words back through her head. _The guests, inventory, accounting, inspections…oh, crap_. He had mentioned something about learning the procedure for lighting the lanterns that lined the bridge, but it had left her mind with everything else.

"I apologize. I will do that tomorrow night." Chihiro said rubbing a hand across her heavy eyes.

"No, you will not!" Yubaba hissed, "You were given a schedule for tonight. Tomorrow will be something completely different. What do you think the purpose of a schedule is? It is to keep order! If you can't do something as simple as follow a list then there is nothing awaiting you down the road but chaos. Get that into your stupid little head and don't let it happen again!" Chihiro bristled.

"The lamps shouldn't be that hard to learn! I don't-"

"Don't you dare talk back you me, human! You are dismissed!" Yubaba growled. Chihiro stood for a second, trying to put a lid on her anger.

"Yes ma'am." She managed to say with barely a quiver in her voice. She bowed and left the room. Chihiro gritted her teeth the whole way back to her quarters. The good thing about anger was that it gave her something to occupy her mind and the long walk to her room didn't seem _as _long. Chihiro stepped through her door only to find her room already occupied by Hebi. Chihiro would have been startled by the sight of him had she not been so exhausted.

"I've come to attend to you." He said, answering her unasked question.

"Oh." Chihiro said and collapsed face-first on her bed. The warm softness seemed to swallow her whole and her eyes fell shut as every muscle in her body seemed to let out a blissful sigh. However, the second she lay down she knew she wasn't going to be able to sleep yet. Her head was too full. She needed to write everything down and put it into some semblance of comprehensible order or else she would never fall asleep. Chihiro rolled onto her back and heaved herself into sitting position with a grunt. Her eyes protested the fact that they were open by blurring and spinning her vision. When she was finally able to focus she saw Hebi leaning against her dressing table looking amused.

"What?" Chihiro grumbled moodily.

"You're so cute." He said with a grin. Chihiro blinked at him in surprise.

"Wow, you really cut to the chase, now don't you?" She said, running a fist across her eyes. Hebi shrugged.

"I need a pen and some paper." Chihiro said, shoving herself to her feet. Hebi nodded and left the room. Chihiro shuffled over to the dressing table and plopped down on the seat. The Chihiro staring at her from the other side of the mirror had purple rings beneath her eyes and wisps of hair had fallen from her bun to float around her face in a despicable mess.

"Cute my ass." She growled, yanking her hair loose so that it fell to her shoulders. She grabbed the brush from the table and quickly ran it through her brown locks. There really wasn't much to do about the purple bags except sleep and she couldn't do that for a while longer. Chihiro sighed and stared at this worn-out shell of her former self. As she stared her eyes began filling with tears. Before she knew it she was sobbing uncontrollably. This is the pitiful state which Hebi returned to.

"Hey, what's this then?" He asked, placing a blank journal and jar of pens next to her elbow. His firm hands closed around her shoulders, his thumbs stroking small circles into the back of her neck. Chihiro hiccupped and shook her head. Hebi rubbed her back for a few more seconds as she continued to sob, then she was lifted up into the air by some invisible force only to be set down in Hebi's lap as he claimed the seat.

"Come now, tell me what it is." He said wrapping his arms round her. Chihiro buried her face into his black silk shirt and wailed.

"I can't do anything right! I have no idea what I'm doing! I feel like my brains are going to explode and no matter what I do it isn't good enough for that cow! I miss my mom and my dad and my friends and I just want to sleep but I can't and I don't know how I'm going to face Haku after what happened and you told me I was cute when I look like Hell took a dump on me, you jerk!" Chihiro gave a pitiful slap at his chest for emphasis and continued to bawl. She doubted he could understand half of what she had said, her voice muffled as it was by snot, tears and his shirt. But Hebi held her tight anyways and rocked her like a baby, hissing softly into her hair. When she had calmed down sufficiently, he began speaking.

"Alright then, boss. Let's break it apart and look at each catastrophe by itself. You don't know what you're doing? You're not supposed to. You've only been here for three days. It will take time; you just need to take it slowly. Yubaba has been hassling you? I'm very sorry about that. I'll try talking to her but you must keep in mind that she's a contemptible creature by nature, plus she's on the brink of death. Just allow her to be a bitter fool for her last few days if it makes her happy." Chihiro giggled and hiccupped. Hebi smiled into her hair and continued, "I'm also sorry that you're feeling homesick. That's something that will just have to take care of itself in time. Whatever has happened between you and the dragon, I'm sure it will work itself out. You really do look like Hell took a dump on you, I was hoping I could make you feel better by lying." Chihiro let out a small cry of anger and slapped him again, only harder. Hebi laughed and tightened his grip on her shoulders. "As for sleep, that can be taken care of immediately. Just go lie down."

"I can't. Not until I write everything down." Chihiro said pulling away from his chest. "Otherwise my brain really will explode."

"You mean it didn't just now?" Hebi asked glaring at the mess she had made of his shirt. Chihiro laughed and blew her nose into a handkerchief.

"I'm sorry about that, but it's your own fault for giving me a shoulder to cry on." She said, standing up. Hebi stood up as well and Chihiro reclaimed her seat. She opened the blank journal to the first page and tapped a pen against the pure white paper, wondering where to begin. After a moment she turned to Hebi who was raiding her armoire once more to set out her pajamas.

"You know, the first time I met you you scared the crap out of me." Chihiro said bluntly. To her surprise, Hebi laughed.

"Snakes do usually have that affect on humans." He said, taking down a crème colored nightgown. "What with being associated with evil and death from the beginning of time, I guess it can't be avoided." He set the nightgown on the foot of her bed and began sifting through the armoire once more.

"I'm sorry I thought badly of you before." Chihiro said softly. Hebi turned to her.

"Don't be sorry. I told you before that I'm glad you were wary of me. The spirit world isn't a place to be gullible in." Hebi pulled a large, black kimono from the armoire and held it up to himself. "You don't mind, do you? I don't like being soggy."

"Go ahead." Chihiro said, shaking her head. Hebi stepped behind the changing screen and Chihiro turned back to her book. She scratched down a few sentences and stopped again.

"Hebi?" She said softly.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"No problem, boss." He called over the top of the screen. Chihiro smiled and began spilling her thoughts onto the blank pages.

"Hey, boss! Would you like some tea?" Hebi asked a moment later, stepping out from behind the screen fully clothed in her kimono.

"Don't call me boss! And yes, tea would be wonderful."

* * *

"Sen!" Lin called from the floor below. Chihiro leaned over the railing and squinted an eye at the Yunna.

"I've already told you! My real name is Chihiro!" she yelled back. Lin made a face and shook her head.

"Nah, that's harder to remember. I like Sen better." Chihiro chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"What do you want?" Chihiro asked.

"Just get your skinny butt down here!" Lin said, beckoning Chihiro with both arms. Chihiro rolled her eyes again and trotted down the stairs to meet her old friend.

"What?" Chihiro asked.

"How are you doing?" Lin asked.

"…huh?" Chihiro asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We never get the chance to talk! And I want to know what life is like for higher management! So, how have you been?" Lin asked again.

"You just want me to give you some juicy bit of gossip, don't you?" Chihiro laughed. Lin feigned a look of ultimate offense and scoffed.

"Is that what you truly think of me? Just a woman who does nothing but gossip?" Lin demanded.

"Well, that's not all you do, but you do like it." Chihiro pointed.

"Hmm, well, that's true. So do you have any good gossip? Is there any idea when that old hag is going to croak?" Lin asked, her dark eyes glinting.

"You're terrible." Chihiro said with a grin and turned to walk away.

"Okay okay okay!" Lin said quickly, grabbing Chihiro's shoulder, "at least tell me what you've been up to! Has dragon boy made a move on you yet?" Chihiro flinched.

"Well…" Chihiro said, looking down at the ground.

"Well….what? He did something, didn't he! What happened?" Lin demanded seeing the mournful expression on Chihiro's face.

"It was nothing, really." Chihiro said, waving her hand in front of her face. "Things are just a little awkward right now."

"Aaaah, so you kissed him!" Lin said, nodding her head knowingly.

"No I didn't!" Chihiro grumbled.

"You mean he kissed you? Wow! He's more straightforward than I expected! I'm proud of him!" Lin said. Chihiro blushed.

"But, I warned you, didn't I? You've got to watch out for those reptiles!" Lin said wagging a finger under Chihiro's nose.

"That's kind of mean lumping us all together like that!" a voice like paper whispered from a hallway to their left. Both girls jumped and turned as Hebi slipped out of the hallway, his already permanent grin wider than usual.

"Don't do that!" Chihiro growled, slapping him lightly on the shoulder.

"Geez, you hit me a lot!" Hebi said grabbing his shoulder, "I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist." Hebi shrugged and reached into his pocket pulling out a piece of paper as Lin watched him, eyes wide with shock. "I spoke to Yubaba and she has agreed to let me edit your list of chores and duties each evening so you don't 'explode'." Hebi handed the paper to Chihiro who quickly opened it and read over her list of tasks. It was less than half what she had been initially given when she woke up that evening. The relief she felt bubbled in her stomach and burst out of her mouth in joyous laughter.

"Hebi, I could kiss you!" She said, clasping the list to her chest.

"That's not necessary, boss." He said, winking one slanted yellow eye at her.

"I told you, don't call me that!" Chihiro grumbled reading the list again.

"There's something else. I've convinced Yubaba that you are ready to begin preparing your body to perform magic. I'm to take you to your teacher now. Two hours each night will be spent studying from now on." Hebi said. Chihiro stared at him.

"Studying?" Chihiro asked.

"Yes. You are to learn incantations and forms, things like that." Hebi nodded.

"Oh…okay." Chihiro said, glancing over at Lin. Hebi turned to Lin as well. He took her hand in his and kissed it regally.

"I do apologize that I must steal her away like this. Please forgive me." He said to her. Lin jumped and squeaked in surprise. Hebi let go of her and motioned for Chihiro to follow him. Chihiro waved farewell to Lin, but Lin didn't notice. She stared at Hebi's back, rubbing subconsciously at the spot he had kissed. Chihiro smirked and followed him. They walked a short ways in silence. Thoughts raced through Chihiro's mind about these 'magic lessons'. She wondered if she should send Hebi to fetch her journal so she could take notes. Then a thought struck her.

"Hebi? How much of our conversation did you hear?" She asked.

"Pretty much all of it. I'm a rather sneaky guy." Hebi said over his shoulder. Chihiro's eyes widened. Hebi chuckled.

"I was a bit curious about why you didn't want to face the dragon. I think the whole situation is rather cute." He said. Chihiro blushed.

"I'm sorry I mentioned it." She grumbled, nodding greetings to the Radish spirit as they passed him in the hallway. Chihiro took notice of where they were. She was amazed to find that there were still parts of the bathhouse she had never explored and this was apparently one of them.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"These are the quarters for the male employees." Hebi said over his shoulder. Chihiro glanced back at the Radish spirit wondering what he would be doing in a place like this when Hebi stopped at a screen door and rapped loudly on the wooden frame.

"Enter." Said a deep voice on the other side. Chihiro's insides froze. Hebi opened the door and walked in. Whether on their own or forced by magic, Chihiro's legs followed him through the opening. The room was smaller than Chihiro's and not as glamorous, but it felt comfortable and 'lived-in'. Five small lanterns wrapped in blue and green paper sparsely lit the room, casting everything in aquatic hues. A few trinkets sparkled on the surface of a dresser and writing desk, but it was the person behind the desk that shook Chihiro to the core. Haku stared back at her, eyes wide and slightly bruised with exhaustion. He had obviously not gotten much sleep lately.

"Master Haku, Yubaba has given orders for Chihiro to undergo magical training." Hebi said formally, "She has left it to me to find a suitable teacher to train her for two hours every night. Because of your knowledge and skill in this area I have chosen you to undertake this task." And with just that, Hebi turned and left giving Chihiro's glaring face and encouraging wink in passing. He closed the door behind him on a very heavy and uncomfortable silence.

* * *

A hush fell across the room as the reader though, _WTF! I waited four months for that? _

Please review! Please! Don't make me beg, but I will!


	11. Chapter 11

(sigh) Thanks again all my wonderful readers for your support and for being so patient with me once again…or at least for not hunting me down and killing me. I seriously thought I would get this written and posted within a couple of weeks, but then my beloved cat met his untimely death and I ended up adopting two newborn kittens a few days afterward to fill the void. Those kittens themselves require a lot of attention including nightly feeding and constant baths, but now they are potty trained! Yay for small miracles.

Another factor that has caused this story to be so delayed is just the fact that I haven't had much ambition for this story from the start. I still don't know where it is going and I have to pretty much force myself to write it. It's getting harder these days, especially since a lot of my attention is on the beginnings of a book I'm writing with my brother. But not to worry! That doesn't mean I'm going to stop on this one altogether. I'm just letting you all know what's up.

Todays advice: Whenever you're down, just cover yourself in kittens.

* * *

Chihiro glared over her shoulder, watching Hebi slide the screen door shut behind him. She turned to face Haku who was still blinking owlishly as though trying to dispel a dream. _Or nightmare. _Chihiro thought ruefully to herself. Her throat felt suddenly very dry. She licked her lips and swallowed, the sound resonated in the still air between them. The noise seemed to snap Haku out of his stupor. He jumped to his feet and bowed to her.

"Please, excuse my manners." He said.

"It's not a problem." Chihiro said, waving her hand in dismissal.

"Here, have a seat." Haku said. Walking around his desk he grabbed a chair near the window and moved it in front of the desk. Chihiro nodded her thanks and sat down. Haku returned to his own seat and the silence returned.

"Do you mind if I finish this before we begin? It will only take a few minutes." Haku motioned to the papers on his desk.

"By all means." Chihiro said. Haku tilted his head to her and began writing, his hand swiftly drawing out the characters where he'd left off before her abrupt entrance. Chihiro allowed her eyes to wander around his room. She didn't know why, but the thought of Haku having something as normal as a bedroom surprised her a bit. She knew it was silly to think this way, of course Haku would require his own private space. She had just always thought of him as a roaming beast that neither ate nor slept. However, Haku obviously _did _eat because there were several bowls of half-eaten food teetering on the edges of various surfaces. The room itself was surprisingly cluttered with shiny bits and pieces of things that Chihiro didn't recognize. The main area of the floor was immaculate with Haku's sleeping mat folded neatly in a corner. However, behind Haku's desk Chihiro could see piles of crumpled papers and bits of rubbish scattered around carelessly. All in all, it was a bedroom one expected a bachelor to keep, albeit it somehow gave off an almost cave-like aura.

Chihiro turned her attention to Haku. His head was bowed and his longish hair fell in dark curtains around his pale face. Moss green eyes shifted back and forth, following his aristocratic hand across the paper as it spelled out kanji in a half-sloppy handwriting that surprised Chihiro more than anything else in the room. Haku put aside his writing and read the content of a particular page. There was a European style clock sitting on the corner of his desk. It showed that it was nearing midnight. The sound of constant ticking filled the silence, and while it was a comfortable sound at first, it was now mingling with the tension in the air and grating at Chihiro's nerves. Chihiro glanced from the clock back at Haku, who had turned to a different page, and was shocked to realize his eyes weren't moving. He wasn't reading at all, but rather using the papers as an excuse to think. This made Chihiro even _more _uncomfortable.

_What in the world am I supposed to say to him_? She wondered to herself, eyes now glued on Haku's face as though he were a judge about to sentence her to death.

At long last, Haku put down his documents and met her gaze.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Haku asked. Chihiro wanted to slap him and scream _let's just get it over with already_, but instead she only shook her head. Haku cleared his throat and propped his elbows on the desk.

"We should talk about what happened the other night." Haku said, his piercing eyes fixing on Chihiro's face. _Well duh!_ Chihiro thought to herself. Outwardly she nodded.

"I apologize for what I did. It was inappropriate and I'm sure I confused you." Haku began, dropping his eyes to his hands. "I want you to know that I care about you very much, Chihiro. I have ever since you were a child." There was a small leap in Chihiro's stomach, "However, I also understand that there is no possible way for there to be a relationship between us." The leaping turned into a heavy chunk of frozen lead that settled somewhere in her intestines.

"Especially not at a time like this when everything has been so turned upside down. I hope you will forgive my actions. From now on I swear on my honor that I will be as professional as possible from this moment forward." Haku's eyes returned to hers. Chihiro didn't really quite know what to say. She gaped like an idiot for a moment, but she managed to recompose herself a bit.

"Yes, that is probably for the best. I accept your apology." She could feel a painful mixture of emotions swell in her chest even as she said it. It hurt to even get the words out. Haku bowed his head to her and stood.

"Then, shall we begin your lesson?" He asked.

An hour later, Chihiro returned to her room feeling emotionally exhausted. Haku had said it simply and eloquently. He was all politeness and business. That probably made it all the worse. The lesson he had given her had been very simple and very vague. It had managed to keep her mind off his earlier words, but also opened her eyes to how much she was going to have to learn before she had any magic abilities bestowed on her. Now, back in her room, alone without distractions, her chest began to sting and her nose began to tingle.

_Don't even THINK about crying! _She scolded herself, _you barely even know him! What's the big deal? It's perfectly fine to just be friends. Get a grip, Chi. You still have a job to do._

She continued reprimanding and reasoning with herself as she arranged some notes and fished out a book that had fallen down the side of her bed. She was still berating herself as she slid open her door and took a step into the hall, finding herself face to belly with the radish spirit. Chihiro gave a start and took a quick step backwards.

"Oh! Excuse me, sir!" She apologized, bowing deeply to him. The radish spirit gurbled pleasantly in reply.

"Do you need something?" Chihiro asked, straightening. She noticed that his eyes were narrowed and he was watching her shrewdly. He didn't respond at all to her question.

"If there's nothing I can help you with, than I must apologize, but I should be on my way. Lot's of work to do." Chihiro took a step forward, attempting to brush past him, but one of the tendrils on his face twitched. Chihiro gasped as a yellow, powdery substance burst from the tip right under her nose. The powder filled her lungs immediately. Chihiro stepped back into her room, gagging on the substance. It tasted stale and it was causing her head to spin. Chihiro looked fearfully at the radish spirit with watering eyes. He had followed her into the room and was looming over her, his pudgy arms stretching forward. Still coughing, Chihiro turned and ran towards the balcony. As she went, the room began to sway beneath her feet. The distance between her and the railing suddenly expanded by miles.

Her feet felt heavy and for all the steps she was taking it didn't seem like she was moving at all. There was a sudden rushing in her head and she found herself almost toppling over the railing as the distance closed in a whoosh. Chihiro crumpled to the floor. There was a steady resonating boom that caused her head to throb. She looked around blearily until she realized the sound was the radish spirit walking towards her as though in slow motion. Chihiro clambered to her feet and staggered towards the flowing black curtain. The world lurched just as she reached it, tossing her headfirst through the doorway. She landed on her face on the other side. Chihiro sobbed and gasped in relief until she felt a cold, spongy hand wrap itself around her ankle.

Chihiro looked fearfully over her shoulder and saw that only half of her had made it through the door. Her hips and legs vanished into thin air.

"Chihiro! What's wrong?" Haku's voice sounded far away and it was so distorted that Chihiro could barely make out what he was saying. Chihiro turned to him. He had dropped to his knees in front of her and began reaching for her arms. His fingers had barely brushed her sleeves when the radish spirit on the other side of the door began heaving her backwards by her ankles. Chihiro could no longer move to fight back. She watched the look of surprise register on Haku's face as she was suddenly pulled away from him to disappear up to her shoulders. He lunged for her as the radish spirit gave another yank from the other side, pulling her the rest of the way through. The last thing Chihiro saw of Haku were his wide green eyes. He managed to grab a hold of her fingertips before they were pulled away, but it wasn't enough to save her and she was quickly pulled from his grasp completely.

It was impossible to distinguish time as the radish spirit sped through marshes and fields by means Chihiro couldn't see. One moment everything would move so slowly that they didn't seem to be moving at all, then the next they would be traveling too fast for her eyes to focus. Chihiro didn't remember actually leaving the bathhouse, but she remembered seeing it in the distance as her head wobbled with the radish spirits movements causing her chin to bounce unpleasantly against his cool, squishy shoulder. She even saw a white dragon burst from one of the windows and begin circling overhead. As she watched him, she somehow knew that he wouldn't be able to see her even if she could somehow force her limbs to move. Time had taken a pause then, allowing to her to watch him mournfully for a moment before everything turned to a mushy blur and she found herself miles away. Despite how the powder had frozen her limbs and distorted her perception of time, Chihiro was still thinking somewhat clearly. She could at least analyze her situation and sum it up in a few words:

* * *

At some point, Chihiro fell asleep. When she woke up she was in a dark room surrounded by fuzzy black shapes that drifted around her lazily, grumbling back and forth in deep, guttural tones. It was a very lulling sound that almost caused her to drift back to sleep until a quantity of ice water was dumped on the back of her neck. Chihiro screamed and sat up straight. She was on a hard stone floor with her back to a wide plank. Her hands were bound behind her back with some kind of metal that bit into her wrists. Chihiro struggled against the bonds for a moment, but there was no possible way she would be able to escape them by force.

"Who are you!" She demanded, or at least attempted to. Her tongue was swollen and clumsy. She tried again to speak, but the sound coming out was a dull gibberish as her tongue lolled in her mouth, getting caught between her teeth and sticking to the roof of her mouth. She was surprised that it could even fit in her face. One of the dark shapes stepped towards her and pressed a cup to her lips. Chihiro shook her head. She doubted any would be able to get past her tongue. But the…creature…holding the cup forced her head backwards and dumped sweet, burning liquid straight down her throat. Chihiro sputtered on it and gagged at the taste, but immediately strength returned to her limbs and her tongue was loosened.

"Who are you!" Chihiro demanded again, and this time it was intelligible.

"You needn't worry about the details." A raspy voice rumbled from somewhere in front of her. Chihiro gasped as cold sharp steel was pressed against her arm. She let out a short cry as the blade sliced deeply into the skin. A cool glass vial was pressed below the incision and without looking Chihiro could guess that they were collecting her blood.

"Please. What are you going to do to me?" Chihiro sobbed. The glass vial was taken away and most of the dark shapes shuffled away to the left and were swallowed by shadows.

"Don't worry about it for now. You will be told soon enough, human." The same voice grunted to her. The remaining dark figures began shuffling away ignoring Chihiro's desperate pleas, leaving her all alone in the silent, dark room.

* * *

That one is a bit shorter than usual. Sorry 'bout that. I'm still having some internal conflict between two ideas I want to use, but I'll get it sorted out soon enough. Don't worry! And please remember to review! I think it's awfully rude when there are 65 people watching my story and only a dozen or so reviewing. What do you like? What do you hate? What do you want to see happen? I want to know these things! 


	12. Chapter 12

Yay! Another update already! I think I'm getting better!

So, I'd just like to say, thank you to all my wunnerful reviewers! I was sifting through some old sketchbooks today and found a couple of rough drawings I did…golly, it must have been a year ago. There's one of Hebi and one of older Chihiro. I don't know why I never finished them, but I decided to finish them today. So they've been colored and posted on my deviant account. You can get there by clicking the homepage link on my profile. Later I'll put links to the actual pictures on my profile so you don't have to take so many steps to get to them.

And that reminds me, if there is any fanart that anybody has done or wants to do for this or any of my other stories, I would LOVE to see it! Hint hint.

Today's advice: Don't step in that!

* * *

Chihiro had no way of telling how long she had been in that dark room. She had screamed until her voice grew hoarse and she wrenched at her bonds until blood trickled from her torn flesh. However long she had been there felt like an eternity. The time she spent in the cold dark room with her eyes staring unfocused at the stone floor was only interrupted every so often when a dark shape would approach her with stale food or to collect more blood. Chihiro found herself wondering if this was what insanity was. Was any of this even real? Would she eventually wake up back at the bathhouse, or maybe in her old apartment in the human world? But she was reminded of the reality of her situation each time a sharp blade sliced into her skin. She knew that when they cut her it wasn't out of spite. They weren't doing it to torment her. Her blood just seemed necessary to them for some unseen reason. She hoped bitterly that they would finish what they were doing and let her go soon.

"Why are you doing this?" She would croak with each visit. But they never answered. They never made any noise at all. Eventually, she stopped asking and she stopped feeling the bite of the blades.

Somewhere in that eternity, Chihiro was brought out of a doze by an approaching light. This was something new. It was like she was being shown light for the first time. She drew back against her post and watched it fearfully as it came closer. It stung her eyes, and yet she couldn't bring herself to look away from it. Blinded and stunned, she barely noticed when two figures stepped forward and removed the metal cords that bound her wrists. She was hauled to her feet and two short sturdy creatures began carrying/dragging her towards the light.

The light began drifting away and Chihiro's porters followed it through the labyrinth of a cell to a short flight of stairs. At the top of the stairs was a shiny door made out of something like black glass. The door opened and brilliant light spilled over Chihiro, illuminating her captors. There were about a dozen around her counting the two supporting her. All were colors ranging from off-white to taupe. They covered a wide range of shapes and sizes, no two looked exactly alike. But they all shared a common characteristic; they all looked vaguely like plant roots. Chihiro was dragged forwards and she managed to catch a glimpse of her reflection in the black glass door as they passed it. Her hair had partially fallen from her ponytail and it hung limp and greasy around her face. Her face itself was gaunt and as pale as her captors' save for the dark shadows around her cheeks and eyes. This was as much of an assessment on her looks as she was allowed before she was dragged away.

Chihiro began returning to a somewhat normal state of mind as they went along through corridor after corridor. Her arms had been numb from their prolonged imprisonment, now the sudden movement was sending a painful stinging down to her swollen fingers. It was the same thing for her legs. The sudden rush of blood to her feet tingled and turned her legs to rubber. As her eyes began adjusting to the abrupt change of luminosity, Chihiro took in her surrounding. This place must have been a manor or a castle of some kind. It certainly didn't seem to be ending anytime soon. The walls were bare and ominous; the stained wooden floor was barely covered with a moth-eaten carpet that had faint traces of ancient lotus flowers embroidered around the edges.

Chihiro's caravan finally stopped before a set of doors nearly as elaborate and ominous as Yubaba's. One of the gray plant men entered alone, leaving the rest to wait. Chihiro could feel excitement tingling in the air around her which only added to her own nervous tension. The plant spirit returned a few moments later and threw the doors wide for everyone to enter. The doors led to nothing but a black abyss. Having just grown re-accustom to the blissful light, Chihiro began to panic as she was prodded forward.

"NO! PLEASE!" She croaked, "PLEASE! PLEASE! NO!" She could find no other words, her mind went blank when faced with that cold, unfeeling darkness once more. Chihiro dug her heels into the moldy carpet and wrenched her shoulders, trying to dislodge the grip of the two spirits. But even had she not been in her weakened state, the spirits would have been very much stronger than her. Someone, or something, struck her hard on the back of the neck, jarring her with shock and bringing her feeble struggle to an end. They plodded forward.

The abyss turned out to be a large, cavernous room that sank deeply into the floor. Chihiro glimpsed over the edge and saw a number of candles being lit twenty feet below her. To the right was a steep set of stairs. Her party made for this and Chihiro was drug down them, her ankles smacking painfully with each step. When they reached the bottom even more candles had been lit. Hundreds of little flames seemed to float in mid-air. But despite their number, they barely gave off any light.

"Do not be frightened" A deep, gravely voice rasped in Chihiro's ear from behind. Chihiro was too numb to be startled by the voice. The two spirits that had been holding Chihiro upright let go of her and shuffled away. Chihiro was too weak to support herself and vaguely thought that she should be falling forward, but some means of invisible support was holding her suspended in that dark place.

"What are you going to do to me?" Chihiro asked for what felt like the thousandth time. And like the other nine hundred and ninety-nine times, her question was met with silence. Or so she thought. A moment later the hoarse, grating voice began whispering to her.

"Since the beginning of time we have been underestimated, trodden upon, we who supply life to both worlds are seen as weak and hold little power." Chihiro managed to muster the strength to turn her head. In the corner of her eye she could see the spirit who was telling her this. He was more human-shaped than the others, but a long goatee of wriggling gray tendrils covered a rather pointed chin. He was very thin, but didn't look in any way frail. He had a lithe body of a swimmer.

"Who are you?" Chihiro asked. The spirit gave her an annoyed glance. He was obviously about to say more and she had interrupted him.

"I am the head of the clan of rice." He growled.

"You're a rice spirit?" Chihiro asked dumbly.

"Yes. If I'm the head of the rice clan, then I'm a rice spirit!" He sounded very _very_ annoyed now.

"Oh. Okay. Please continue." Chihiro didn't know if it was her time spent imprisoned or the recent blow to the head, but she felt rather as though she were outside her body watching all of this as though it were a ridiculous television show. She almost wanted to laugh but at least had the sense to keep quiet. The rice spirit glared at her, but nevertheless continued.

"We are putting the first stage of an uprising into action, little human. And you should feel honored because you will play a key role in this crucial stage. Or at least your body will. Thankfully, your mind is not necessary." The rice spirit stepped forward so he was now in front of her watching as the final candles were lit. More dark shadowy figures were scuffling around on the ground. Chihiro could smell turpentine.

"Very soon, you will be one of the most powerful spiritual beings in the spirit world. You already have information on all of the most influential spirits, you have ties to them and they trust you. Or at least they will tolerate you until they _can _trust you." Chihiro began losing focus on what he was saying. Her eyes drifted shut until the invisible hands holding her up gave her a meaningful jolt.

"Pay attention when being spoken to!" The rice spirit hissed in her ear.

"Hmm?" Chihiro grunted.

"As I was saying, your spirit is going to be replaced by one of our seedlings." Chihiro woke up at this, "It took some time to find one compatible with your human body, but we managed. With it in place of you, we will be able to gain our first toehold in our great plan. With the influence of a witch in our possession there is no stopping our progress."

"Whoa-wait. What happens to me?" Chihiro asked groggily. The rice spirit smiled and leaned in close to her face.

"You will die." He said, his eyes widening in emphasis of the last word.

"But I don't want to die!" Chihiro called out to him as he turned and walked away. Thinking about it a few seconds later she realized how dumb it had sounded.

Chihiro floated helpless as the plant spirits bustled around, finishing whatever preparations they were doing. Chihiro's head had cleared a bit and she was able to think more coherently. But no matter what, she could not think of any way out of this. There was nothing she could do. She couldn't even move.

_Please! Someone save me! _She prayed over and over in her head.

At long last, the preparations appeared to be complete. A candle was placed on the floor and the small flame ignited the turpentine Chihiro had smelled earlier. It was painted on the stone floor in a sort of pentagram. It was a circle with a five point star inside of it. Around the edges were strange marks and symbols that Chihiro didn't recognize, the same signs were scrawled inside the points of the star while the center was empty. Chihiro felt herself lifted in the air. She hovered for a second before floating over the lapping flames to hang suspended straight over the blank center. Chihiro was vaguely aware of a deep rumbling chant of some sort from the spirits around her. She floated in that spot for a second, then she saw movement in the corner of her eye. She glanced over to see what it was and saw a gnarled thing that looked like a cross between a baby and a ginger root floating towards her. This must be the seedling they meant to replace her with. Chihiro began to panic. She wriggled at her invisible bonds and began to scream, but it was useless. There was no way for her to fight back. Chihiro looked around frantically until she saw a familiar face. The radish spirit was standing just to her right, his eyes half closed as he stared entranced into the flame. Chihiro called to him.

"PLEASE! RADISH SPIRIT! PLEASE DON'T LET THEM DO THIS TO ME! YOU'VE KNOWN ME SINCE I WAS LITTLE! YOU WERE KIND TO ME! I THOUGHT OF YOU AS MY FRIEND! PLEASE HELP ME!" Chihiro sobbed to him. She saw his eyes flicker towards her once, but then they refocused on the flames and he didn't look at her again. Chihiro was only a few feet above the hot flames. Her toes were beginning to burn and her lungs were filling with the greasy smoke. Chihiro closed her eyes and wept in pain and fear, her thick tears falling into the yellow inferno. Something cool touched her neck. She opened her eyes to see the ugly wrinkled face of the ginger baby only a few inches from her. Chihiro's screams echoed above the sounds of chanting and roaring fire. The little creature's stubby "hands" began scrabbling at her shirt, trying to paw it open. Her shirt ripped from the collar nearly to her belly-button by the magic of the rice spirit. Chihiro tried to move to cover herself, but there was no use. She couldn't move her arms.

The cool, slimy hands of the baby spirit touched her bare chest right above her heart. Then Chihiro felt the most horrible pain she had ever experienced in her life as the baby's hand began sinking in through her skin. Chihiro screamed and writhed as much as she was allowed. Despite the pain in her chest, she was aware of another sensation. The baby had reached its right hand into her chest, and as it did so Chihiro's right hand seemed to disappear. It was still physically attached to the rest of her body, but Chihiro felt like it was no longer hers. The sensation traveled further up her arm the further the baby reached into her chest. Chihiro's screams doubled. The baby had now entered her up to it' shoulder. It bowed its knobby head and began pushing it in as well. Chihiro's screams abruptly died away as she lost sense of her head. The only way she could describe the feeling was that she was being peeled backwards away from her body.

"Oh! There you are!" She said conversationally to her right arm as she was suddenly reunited with it. The pain had disappeared and the general feeling of being stripped of herself had left Chihiro feeling disoriented and stupid. Chihiro watched in fascination as her left arm began attaching to her. She looked down and could see her physical body floating in mid-air with the wrinkly backside of the baby sticking out of her chest, its stumpy legs flapping madly as it burrowed slowly into her. Chihiro began feeling very offended as she watched it.

"Hey! That's mine!" She called to the baby thing. Of course, it couldn't hear her. Chihiro glowered and reached out for her body.

"I said, that's mine!" She said and shoved her lower torso back into her body. Her body jolted and the baby was shoved back out a few inches. Chihiro hooted in triumph and shoved again, but the baby was prepared and it braced itself. It continued to burrow and Chihiro continued to try shoving herself back into her body, but it was no use. Her head cleared enough to realize her situation, Chihiro began crying again.

"Please! I don't want to die!" She pleaded to the deaf ears of the ginger baby. All that was left in her body were her legs. Chihiro leaned forward and sobbed into the top of her own head. Her lank, dirty hair floated around her face like dark string. Something glittered and sparkled in the corner of her eye. Chihro looked down and saw the purple hair elastic just beneath her nose. _I don't want to die._ Chihiro reached out and touched it sadly with one long, transparent finger. The baby thing shot out of Chihiro's chest like a cannonball and Chihiro's soul was snapped back into place so suddenly that it sent a shockwave through the room, knocking a few of the plant spirits off their feet. This must have included the rice spirit because Chihiro lost her invisible support and fell downward towards the flaming symbols.

_NO! _Chihiro mentally screamed as she fell through the hot air. There was a loud _whoosh _as she landed softly on her feet, the flames extinguishing with a disdainful hiss. There was a general sound of panicked scrambling as the plant spirits began scuttling in the sudden darkness. Chihiro looked around with widened eyes, trying to adjust to the gloom. She became aware of a sound she hadn't heard before. It was a very quiet sound like paper being rubbed on stone. Chihiro didn't even know why her ears would pick that sound out of all the pandemonium, but it seemed out of place. There was a sudden sound of hissing followed by a painful scream. One of the spirits managed to make a light and everything in the cavernous room was illuminated in a soft blue glow that drifted in the air like a flare. Chihiro turned and found herself face to face with the source of the out of place noise.

Hebi wrapped an arm around her waist and hauled her to a corner. He propped her against a wall and turned to the spirits that seemed to have finally realized what was happening. The spirits began closing in on them, but their movements were sluggish. They were nowhere in the same league as Hebi. He struck out at the nearest one too quickly for Chihiro's eyes to follow. One moment he was standing beside her, the next he was four feet away with his teeth sunk deep in the spongy neck of one of the spirits. Spells were thrown at him, but they bounced harmlessly from his clothes. It took Hebi only a few minutes to completely dispatch every spirit there, including the rice spirit who didn't seem nearly as powerful as Chihiro had earlier thought. Panting and covered in blood, Hebi turned to Chihiro who could only stare wide-eyed at the carnage he had left in his wake. Hebi wiped his mouth and came towards her with his arms wide. Chihiro fell gratefully into his chest and sobbed. Hebi wrapped his solid arms around her and held her tight.

They must have stood like this for nearly five minutes when the door above them opened with a crash. A great white dragon streamed into the room like a ribbon in the wind and landed on the stone floor. Haku's claws clacked on the hard ground as he fidgeted around, body tensed to fight. Haku took in the gory scene and turned to Hebi and Chihiro. Chihiro wanted to run to him, but Hebi's hold on her was too tight.

"You told me that you could protect her." Hebi hissed. Chihiro looked up at him and saw a look of pure anger and hatred on his face as he glared at Haku. Haku stared at Hebi for a moment, then his body began to melt until standing before them was Haku in his human form. He dropped to his knees in front of them, his face pinched in anguish. Then, to Chihiro's surprise, he began to cry. Sobs wracked his body as he kneeled before them. Chihiro wanted even more than before to go to him, but again, Hebi's grip on her prevented her from moving. Hebi ignored Haku and maneuvered himself out of his black velvet coat while always keeping one arm around Chihiro. As he wrapped his coat around her, Chihiro became suddenly aware of her ripped shirt. Hebi hoisted her off her feet and carried her bridal style up the stairs and out of that dark room, leaving Haku alone, crying in the dark.

* * *

Aaaaaaaaaaand…that is chapter twelve! Hope it didn't seem rushed, I tried to drag it out as long as I could. And I hope that it wasn't obvious that I did so. Descriptive writing just gets boring after a while. Lol. Please review! And remember to check out my pictures! 


	13. Chapter 13

Badump-dun-dun-dun-duuuuun! Woosh! Singing is good for the soul!

Thanks again, as always, to all of my reviewers. I swear I meant to reply to your reviews, but life has been like a mosh pit lately. Utter chaos.

Advice: Always use protection…when arm wrestling.

* * *

Chihiro's eyes fluttered open. Everything around her was bright white and she felt as though she were floating. Chihiro had vague memories of leaving the underground room with Hebi, but sometime after that she had fallen asleep. She woke up a few times feeling as though she were gliding with the sound of rustling paper filling her ears. She remembered being laid on her bed, soft voices had murmured somewhere far away as her filthy clothes were traded for a silk nightgown by girls dressed in pink. Now, Chihiro shut her eyes to the bright light with the goal of falling back to sleep. But somebody else had other ideas.

"Oh, thank God. I thought you were never going to wake up!" Lin said, practically pouncing on Chihiro's bed. Chihiro sighed and re-opened her eyes.

"Good morning." It was really the only thing Chihiro could think of to say. Lin's face was pinched with stress and dark circles framed her sparkling black eyes.

"Good Morning! That's all you can say after how worried I've been for you? I was scared to death! Don't you ever do that again!" Lin grabbed Chihiro's arms and yanked her into a sitting position, then pulled her into a rib-cracking hug all in one fluid motion. Chihiro's vision began fading from the sudden movement, but the spell of vertigo passed and Chihiro patted Lin's back softly.

"You know, you're making it sound like it was my fault I was kidnapped." Chihiro croaked into Lin's shoulder.

"No, it's that stupid Dragon's!" Lin growled between sobs.

"What?" Chihiro asked, trying to pull away.

"It was my duty to protect you." A hoarse voice rumbled from across the room. Chihiro looked up and saw Hebi sitting at her desk with chin resting on his palm. "However, the young master assured me that he was more than capable of protecting you himself. He promised that he would not allow his emotions to get in the way. But where was he when you were attacked? He was in his room, brooding like a child." Hebi's hairless eyebrows were furrowed in anger, his yellow eyes glinting dangerously. His gaze met Chihiro's and his face immediately softened.

"Miss Lin, if you keep squeezing her like that she's going to pop." Hebi said. Lin jumped at his words and pulled away, looking Chihiro up and down to make sure she hadn't damaged her at all.

"Lin, you really should go get some sleep. I'm fine now." Chihiro said, wiping away Lin's tears with the corner of her blanket.

"No, I'm all right." Lin said, shaking her head.

"Miss Lin, go. You'll only make Chihiro worry for you." Hebi stood up and gently took Lin's arm, easing her off the bed and leading her from the room. Lin didn't protest at all and disappeared out the door by her own power. Hebi walked over to Chihiro's bed and took Lin's place, sitting on the edge. There was a tray set on the bedside table with several covered dishes and a bowl of water that smelled of herbs. Hebi dipped a white towel in the water and then set to work washing Chihiro's face.

"So, is Haku alright?" Chihiro asked after a moment's silence. Hebi sighed and shut his eyes.

"That is up to Yubaba to decide. She is absolutely livid at his incompetence and is planning a severe punishment when he returns. If it weren't for that little charm, you would be dead now." Hebi said, touching her hair tie which was now wrapped around her wrist. Chihiro stared at it, spinning the shiny purple material through her fingers.

"So, it really was this that saved me?" Chihiro asked.

"Yes, there is some powerful protective magic woven into it." Hebi dipped the cloth back into the water and wrung out the excess. He took Chihiro's arm and began scrubbing it gently.

"Will you make me a promise, Boss?" He asked. Chihiro cocked an eyebrow at him. "Promise me you will never take that off?" Hebi nodded at the tie.

"After what happened, I'm not letting it out of my sight." Chihiro assured him. Hebi smiled and continued washing her. He moved to the other arm, and once he was done he pulled away her blankets and washed her feet.

"How long was I gone?" Chihiro asked, watching Hebi hover around her ankles.

"Three days." Hebi said, pulling the covers back over her legs.

"Hmm. Is that all? It seemed like a lot longer than that." Chihiro said. Hebi took the tray from the bedside table and placed it on her lap. He uncovered one of the bowls to reveal a steamy pool of rich soup.

"Are you okay to eat that? I can feed you if you need. Or if it's too spicy I can get something milder." Hebi said, fussing like a mother hen.

"No, it's fine thank you." Chihiro said, lifting the spoon and taking a tentative bite in illustration. Chihiro continued to eat for several minutes while Hebi drifted around her room randomly picking things up and putting them down. Chihiro put down her spoon and stared into bowl at her shimmering amber reflection.

"Where is Haku now?" Chihiro asked. Hebi glanced over at her and shrugged.

"He's investigating your kidnapping. He's making sure that the plot against you didn't go any further than just that one group." Hebi said, walking back to her bed. He poured water into a glass and handed it to Chihiro who drank it gratefully.

"Can I see him when he gets back?" Chihiro asked, wiping her upper lip with the back of her hand.

"He is to see Yubaba the second he returns to receive his punishment." Hebi said, shaking his head.

"But he didn't do anything-!" Chihiro protested.

"Exactly." Hebi said, his eyes glinting once more with anger. Chihiro closed her mouth and didn't say anything more. An hour later, Hebi removed the tray from her lap and tucked her in as though she were a small child. Chihiro drifted back to sleep as Hebi disappeared out her door with the tray tucked under his arm.

* * *

It must have been four hours later that Chihiro woke up to the sound of singing. She opened her eyes and tilted her head to see Boh sitting on her floor, chubby hands wrapped around a stuffed animal and huge head wagging in time to his toneless song.

"Hello there!" Chihro mumbled to him sleepily. Boh turned to her and gave her a gummy grin.

"Chihiro!" He cooed, brandishing his stuffed animal, "I brought this to make you feel better!" Chihiro smiled at him and took the proffered doll.

"Thank you so much, Boh!" Chihiro said, examining it. It wasn't any creature Chihiro could recognize. It looked something like a constipated alligator with rabbit ears. It was kind of adorable in a grotesque way. Chihiro tucked it under the covers next to her and smiled at Boh.

"Momma said that bad people tried to steal you." Boh said, staring at her. Chihiro smiled at him.

"Yes, they did. But they're all gone now so you don't have to worry." She said.

"Did they hurt you?" Boh asked. Chihiro looked down at her arm. The numerous cuts had been healed, most likely by Hebi while she was asleep. Chihiro looked back up to Boh and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Nope, I'm alright!" Boh looked relieved. He smiled at her and grabbed another stuffed animal from the floor. Apparently he had brought half of his toy box with him to visit her. Chihiro played with him and told him stories of the mortal world for an hour, then Boh fell asleep facedown on the floor with his rather large backside sticking in the air in regular baby fashion. Chihiro smiled at him and carefully climbed out of bed. Her knees wobbled and threatened to give, but Chihiro steadied herself on he bedside table. With some amount of effort, Chihiro managed to get her weakened body to pull the covers from her bed and drape them over Boh. With even more effort, she stumbled out to the balcony and took a seat on the floor with her legs dangling over the edge. There was a cool breeze that wafted her loose hair and reminded her just how thankful she was for fresh air and sunlight. Chihiro stretched her shoulders and glanced around. The bathhouse should be practically empty right now with workers and guests closed up in their rooms, asleep. Summer was falling upon them meaning shorter nights and less business.

Chihiro sighed and glanced around for something to do that didn't require much strength or ambition. The curtain caught her eye, the black space drifted and fluttered by some kind of intangible wind. Chihiro wanted to know where Haku was, she wanted to know if he was safe. And most of all she wanted to tell him that she didn't blame him for what happened. The look of grief and pain on his face that night was stuck in her mind and it wrenched at her heart each time she thought about it. Chihiro watched the curtain for a moment and began heaving herself to her feet. She wobbled over to the doorway and touched the blackness with a tentative finger. Her finger was immediately thrown back at her.

Chihiro took a startled step back, holding her finger to her chest. Taking another cautious step forward, Chihiro placed her palm against the curtain. Again, it was thrown back at her by some invisible force. _I wonder if this is Haku's way of saying he doesn't want to see me? _Chihiro thought to herself, rubbing her palm. Chihiro turned back to her room and walked inside. Boh had one stumpy thumb stuck in his mouth. Chihiro smiled tenderly and pulled the thumb out with a faint pop.

Chihiro had just started smoothing the blanket over the giant form when the bathhouse gave a sudden shake, knocking Chihiro right off her feet. She toppled over Boh who sat up in sleepy alarm.

"What was that?" Chihiro demanded, pushing a lock of brown hair out of her eyes. Boh blinked and rubbed his eye with a pudgy fist.

"Momma is angry." He said.

"You don't think-?" Chihiro stumbled back out to the balcony and Boh toddled behind her. "Could Haku be back?" Chihiro asked him. Boh shrugged.

"Probably. That's probably why Momma told me to come visit you. She doesn't like me to see it when people get in trouble." He said, staring upwards at the uppermost windows of the bathhouse.

"Boh, can you take me up there?" Chihiro asked, grabbing Boh's hand. Boh's eyes shifted away and wouldn't meet hers.

"Momma said I need to stay here until she has someone get me." He mumbled. Chihiro put a hand on each cheek and forced him to look her in the eye.

"Boh, please. Please take me upstairs. I can't make it by myself." She begged softly.

* * *

The two made their way up a stone spiral staircase that Chihiro had never seen before. It circled straight up from the bottom level to the upper penthouse. Every few minutes elevators would pass by them, ricketing on the ancient framework. The stairs seemed to go on for forever. Chihiro's legs had given out three steps out her door, but Boh was only too happy to sling her across his shoulders like a novelty backpack. He ambled up the steps with limitless energy.

Several more tremors reverberated through the bathhouse as they climbed, and they seemed to be growing in frequency. Some of them were so powerful that they nearly knocked both of them backwards down the stone steps. Luckily Boh was beginning to anticipate the tremors and would brace his chubby frame against the wall seconds before they hit. Chihiro gripped his neck as they rode one out and buried her face into his shoulder.

"Please hurry." She whispered. Boh nodded and continued upwards. After what seemed like an eternity they made it to the top. Boh put Chihiro down gently and the two of them crawled through a short hallway that lead straight into Yubaba's office. It was empty, but a light was shining from the hallway leading to Yubaba's bedroom. Boh wrapped a spongy arm around Chihiro's waist and carried her over to this before placing her back down so she could crawl where she pleased.

The only sound coming from the room was a short, painful, panting gasp. Chihiro could tell right away that it was Haku. She crawled forward and peered around the edge. Before she could really see what was going on in the room, something tugged on the back of her nightgown. Chihiro turned to see Boh glancing around fearfully. Chihiro patted his clenched fist.

"It's alright, go back to your room." She mouthed to him. Boh looked relieved. He shuffled soundlessly back down the hallway and disappeared. Chihiro turned back to Yubaba's room and peeked around the corner. Haku was ten feet in front of her, on his knees facing partially away from her. Chihiro could barely keep back a gasp at the sight of him. His body was soaked with sweat and she could see a string of drool dripping from his lips. But what affected Chihiro the most was the shorn locks of dark hair scattered across the floor and clinging to his damp skin.

"Again." Yubaba croaked from somewhere Chihiro couldn't see.

"Madame. I think that's enough." Said another voice. Chihiro had to hold back yet another gasp. It was Hebi.

"When I say again, I mean AGAIN!" Yubaba wheezed, "The fool needs to learn his lesson."

"But-" Hebi began.

"NOW!" Yubaba shrieked.

"Y-yes…do it…I…I don't…deserve…a-any l-l-leniency." It was Haku who spoke this time. His voice was hoarse and painful. It made Chihiro want to cry. Hebi sighed from somewhere out of view and half a second later Haku began to writhe and scream. He flipped on to his back and began thrashing about as though he were having a seizure. Chihiro couldn't take it. She somehow made it to her feet and awkwardly lurched into the room where she fell next to Haku's squirming body.

"STOP!" She screamed, wrapping her arms around Haku's shoulders. His eyes were wide, but she didn't think he could see her. Black slime was leaking from his eyes instead of tears and a small stream of it was trickling from his nose and mouth. Just as Chihiro let out a fearful shriek from this, Haku's body went limp and the slime slithered out of sight like snake under a rock. Chihiro sobbed and cradled Haku's head to her shoulder.

"Chihiro! How in the world did you get up here?" Hebi asked, dropping to his knees beside her. Chihiro glared at him. He looked very tired and very stressed.

"Don't touch me! Just take him back to his room immediately!" Chihiro growled, knocking away Hebi's hand as he moved to place it on her shoulder. Hebi hesitated for a moment, but nodded and carefully maneuvered Haku's body over his shoulder.

"And just what do you think you are doing" Yubaba growled from the depths of her cushions and blankets.

"He is my friend!" Chihiro hissed, "I don't blame him for what happened to me and I don't care if I'm usurping your authority. But I would rather die than see any of my friends tortured like that." Yubaba glared at Chihiro over a floral coverlette, and then to her surprise the witch began to laugh.

"Do as you will, but you're only doing him more harm than good. He wanted to be punished, you stupid girl. He very likely was hoping to be executed. Dragons are very proud creatures and by stopping us from giving him what he deserves, you have squashed that pride. Do as you like. It's not like I'm going to have to deal with it for much longer." Yubaba said. "Now go away, I need some sleep." Chihiro glared at Yubaba for a moment, then wobbled to her feet. She managed the few shaky steps out the door and into the hallway, but then she was forced to sit down hard.

Hebi arrived a minute later and carried her down to Haku's room without a word.

* * *

And that's 13! Please remember to review! 


	14. Chapter 14

Alright, so as you may have been able to tell, I've just been making up this story as I go. I pick a few things I want to eventually happen, then just sit down and type and they usually fit in somewhere. Well, today as I was nuking beneath the 102 degree Utah sky I decided to plan out the plot. I didn't really get very far since I fell asleep, but I did plan out a few twists and they are pretty exciting! Heeheehee. Now I've just got to figure out when I'm going to fit them into the story.

Today's advice: Don't trust the Flintstone vitamins. They're after your Fruity Pebbles!

* * *

The sun had begun setting, bringing with it the sleep of the mortal realm that set the spirit world free from its earthly bonds to roam. Life began returning to Chihiro's exhausted body and, as the last glimmer of sunlight disappeared beyond the distant hills, Haku woke up. He groaned and touched his forehead with the tips of his fingers. Chihiro was at his side immediately.

"How are you feeling?" She asked. Haku winced at the volume of her voice, then when he registered whose voice it was his eyes snapped open and he sat upright without any regard to the pain it involved. Sure enough, he let out a short gasp and fainted again. He came back around a few minutes later with a moan.

"Are you alright?" Chihiro asked, this time preparing herself by pinning his shoulders to the bed. Haku opened his eyes and squinted at her.

"Where-what happened?" He asked.

"Don't worry about it. All that matters is that you're alright." Chihiro said, releasing her hold on him.

"Chihiro?" He asked dazedly.

"Yes?" She asked, folding her hands on her lap. Haku frowned at her and one moss-green eye regarded her with puzzlement.

"Wha-why are you here?" He asked. Chihiro raised an eyebrow at him.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Why aren't you-" Suddenly his eyes widened and cleared. The breath caught in his chest and he stared at Chihiro, eyes filled with horror.

"Haku…" Chihiro said softly, reaching out to take his hand. Haku pulled it away and rolled onto his knees into a bow. He didn't ask for forgiveness and he didn't beg for mercy. He just kneeled there with his face pressed into his blankets. Chihiro was at a loss for what to say to him.

"Haku-" She began, but the words caught in her throat. Chihiro sighed and placed a hand on the back of his head. His short, uneven locks of dark hair stuck out in several directions, almost looking grotesque in comparison to how it used to be.

"Come on," she finally managed to say, "Let me help you with your hair."

She found a small, sharp knife on his desk that he most likely used as a letter opener. She coaxed Haku out of his bow and propped him into a sitting position with a number of pillows and blankets. She draped a sheet around his shoulders and kneeled behind him. There was a pitcher of drinking water and a comb on the floor next to the bed. Chihiro slid these closer and using them began wetting down Haku's hair.

"Is there any kind of spell that could make your hair grow back?" Chihiro asked, fingering the slaughtered tresses. She knew his answer before he shook his head. This had been part of his punishment. Yubaba had obviously wanted him to carry some physical mark of shame for his incompetence. His hair had been cut by some spell that made it so it could only grow back naturally. Chihiro frowned and brought the small blade to his hair. It was rough going. Some chunks of his hair had been cut barely a half inch of his scalp while others dangled to his earlobes. Chihiro sighed at the waste and sawed another section as short as she possibly could.

"Why?" Haku asked, fifteen minutes into his haircut. Chihiro jumped at the sudden sound of his voice and barely avoided cutting her thumb.

"Why what?" She asked.

"Why are you doing this for me?" He asked. Chihiro pursed her lips and crawled around him so that they sat face to face. She took his bangs between her fingers and cut them with the knife.

"Because your hair looks horrible." She said. "I couldn't let you wander around in public looking like this. It would be bad for business." Haku refused to look her in the eyes. His gaze remained fixed on his knees.

"Haku…I don't blame you for what happened." Chihiro said, putting the knife down. Haku's face tightened and he closed his eyes.

"I couldn't protect you." He whispered. Something inside Chihiro snapped. Yubaba, Hebi, Lin, and now Haku. Why wouldn't any of them listen to her? The knife fell with a soft plop on the blankets as Chihiro grabbed Haku's shoulders and shook him.

"What is wrong with all of you? When I say it's not your fault I mean that it's not your fault!" Chihiro cried, giving him another shake in emphasis. Haku sat motionless with his eyes closed. Chihiro growled and before she realized what she was doing she had drawn back her hand. The sound of the slap echoed in the dimly lit room and the feeling of the contact stung and reverberated up and down Chihiro's arm. Chihiro ignored it and grabbed Haku's shoulders again, giving him another shake.

"LOOK AT ME!" She yelled. The slap had managed to shock Haku into opening his eyes. His eyes were very wide indeed. He tentatively touched the stinging red mark on his cheek and brought his gaze to Chihiro's face.

"I don't blame you," Chihiro said as evenly as she could, "It was not your fault that I was stolen. And now I am back and I am safe. Let's just put this whole thing behind us and move on with our lives!" Haku sighed and shook his head.

"It's not that simple." He whispered.

"Why not?" Chihiro demanded. The bridge of her nose began to tingle and a pressure began building up in her throat. Chihiro cursed her emotions and tried to choke back the tears.

"Because. Even if you have forgiven me, I can't forgive myself." He said, bowing his head. Chihiro growled and grabbed the knife from the blanket. She grabbed a handful of hair and began sawing at it.

"Fine have it your way." She snarled, shifting to sit behind him so he would not see her wipe the tears from her eyes. Neither of them said anything more as Chihiro finished his hair. As though on cue, there was a knock on the door as Chihiro let the final strands fall on the sheet. Hebi walked in without invitation and bowed to both of them. He quirked an eyebrow at the mess of hair that littered the white sheet, but said nothing about it.

"Chihiro, I'm sorry, but Yubaba has already arranged a few chores for you." He said.

"Fine. Just give me a minute to clean up." Chihiro mumbled. Hebi nodded and stepped out of the room to wait for her in the hall. Chihiro untucked the sheet from beneath Haku's chin and carefully folded it in on itself to capture all the hair. Chihiro carried it out to the balcony and opened it allowing the breeze to capture the ends and carry it out like a banner. Dark strands of hair fluttered and scattered in the wind, then to Chihiro's surprise they flattened and hardened into penny-sized white scales that floated as softly as feathers on the breeze. Chihiro watched as the last of them fluttered from view and stepped back into the dark room. Haku hadn't moved. Chihiro folded the sheet and placed it behind him against the wall. She wanted to say something to him before leaving, but she didn't know what. Finally, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her forehead to his back. Haku stiffened at her touch and brought one hand to hers as though to push them away.

"Thank you for coming for me." Chihiro said into his shirt. She let go of him and walked out of the room, leaving him to stew over that as he pleased.

* * *

The individual nights turned into weeks which then melted into months. It had been three months since Chihiro had taken on her apprenticeship. Yubaba continued to deteriorate up in her penthouse, eventually she refused to see anyone but Haku and Hebi. Occasionally she would summon Chihiro to screech at her about something she'd done wrong but these occurrences were growing rarer and rarer. She refused to allow Boh to see her in this pitiful state altogether.

Chihiro resumed her magic lessons, but Hebi had taken over as her teacher. She rarely ever saw Haku as a matter of fact. Yubaba, in a mad rush to settle all the dealings she had made in her life, had him running errands constantly, barely allowing him time to catch his breath in between duties. There were only five times since the night Chihiro had cut his hair that she saw him in passing among the corridors of the bathhouse. He would stop and bow to her, his short hair sticking up in every direction at once. Chihiro always felt guilty when she saw his hair, but at the same time she couldn't help thinking how much more mature he looked with it short. In fact, he was downright sexy! He reminded Chihiro of a rock star she had been infatuated with as a teen. Of course, Chihiro would always put these thoughts as far from her mind as she could and make idle, usually one-sided and awkward, conversation with him for a moment or two before they were both drawn away to complete their chores.

The nights all became identical. Chihiro would wake up and Hebi would prepare her for the night. She would speak to guests and calculate the profits and fill out orders for the food and herbs that the bathhouse didn't supply itself. Then she would eat with Lin and the other Yunnas. After that she handled records, wrote down her own notes in her little book, and met Hebi in her room where she would receive magical training. She would then go upstairs and tuck Boh in before eating something and falling asleep herself. At least twice a week she made time to visit Kamaji at some point. Even though he had spent decades, possibly centuries confined to the boiler room, the old man was quite knowledgeable about the most inner-workings of the bathhouse. Chihiro would often ask him for his advice for just about every complication that arose.

A relief from the constantly repeated schedule came in the form of the sun. Chihiro was running behind and by the time she made it to her room, the sun had already risen. As summer approached, the days lengthened and the nights shortened. This meant less business, but it also meant a moment of quiet. Chihiro couldn't remember the last time she had been out in the sunshine. Her life in the human world seemed so distant. It didn't even seem real at all. Chihiro walked out onto the balcony and immediately the sun began sinking into her flesh, into her bones, washing away the cold darkness of the night. Chihiro had forgotten this warmth, this blissful eternal light. She didn't want to go back into her darkened bedroom that kept this feeling away.

There was a rustle behind her and Chihiro turned. Hebi had walked into her room and was looking around. He spotted her on the balcony and smiled, looking somewhat relieved.

"There you are! I was starting to get worried." He said, walking out to join her on the balcony.

"Sorry. I was a little behind schedule today." She said, turning her face back to the sun.

"It happens. Especially with summer approaching." Hebi said, gazing out across the grassy plain.

"I think I'm starting to get cabin fever." Chihiro said, "I would like to sleep outside today if that's alright." Hebi turned his yellow eyes on her and pursed his lips in thought.

"Boss, just because things have been quiet lately doesn't mean you're safe to wander around all day." He said.

"I know that. But I can't stay locked up in here a moment longer." Chihiro growled. "I need a break. I need fresh air. There shouldn't be too many menacing spirits around in the daytime besides. They've all gone back to the physical world."

"There are many displaced spirits though. Ones like the young master Haku that have nowhere to return to and wouldn't mind taking the bathhouse as their new home. Don't be feeling too cozy here, Chihiro." Hebi said. Chihiro sighed.

"Fine, fine. But what if you came with me?" She asked. Hebi let out a small, regretful hiss and shook his head.

"I am not displaced. I have to return to the physical world as well. In fact, I am very late as we speak…" Hebi watched as Chihiro's face became stony and resigned. It was the face of a prisoner. A face he didn't want to see her make. Hebi sighed and lifted his arms in defeat.

"Fine, fine. But I can't laze around all day. You have until noon to cure your 'cabin fever'." He said. Chihiro's face lit up like a small child that had been given candy instead of carrots.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" She cried, grabbing his wrist and dragging him into her room and then out into the hall.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, the more wonderful it felt on Chihiro's skin. She had taken Hebi into the maze of flowers and hedges to a little clearing in the center. She could hear the comfortable squeals and grunts from the pig pen, but the hedges blocked out the smells of dung and fermenting slop. Chihiro found a nice flat stretch of grass and dropped onto her back, stretching her hands above her head. Hebi settled against a tree a short ways away and removed his black coat. Beneath it, his arms were bare from the shoulder, down. He stretched his pale arms out to the sun and folded them behind his head. Chihiro sighed and rolled onto her side to face him.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" She asked.

"Mmm hmm." Hebi grunted, closing his eyes, "As a reptile I crave the sunlight almost constantly. It's very rare that I'm able to take a moment and soak it in." He sighed. Chihiro smiled and rolled onto her stomach. She was surrounded by small wildflowers and nearby a bee was drifting along between the colorful petals. Chihiro reached out and plucked a blue flower next to her face and held it out at arms length to see if the bee would pay it a visit. Half an hour must have passed that she sat there, hypnotized by the constant droning buzz of the bee. It never stopped at her flower. Snapping out of her trance, Chihiro rolled back onto her back and half closed her eyes to the bright sun, bringing the blue flower to her nose to sniff. It had no definite scent, just the green smell of grass, but Chihiro kept it to her nose, inhaling it with each breath. Her eyes drifted partially closed. Chihiro became very aware of her eyelashes. The sunlight hit them in such a way that they reflected it and cast a spider web of miniature prisms into her eyes.

_This is what true peace must be like_. She thought to herself. She found herself wishing that she had brought Boh. The child had seemed accepting, even resigned to his mother's fate. But even though he was never allowed to visit her, he still lived in the same suite as Yubaba and her aura of doom and spite had eked into every corner. He was less lively and more drawn away with every passing day.

"I wish I would have brought Boh." Chihiro found herself saying out loud before she could stop herself. She tried not to mention Boh when she was around Hebi because she didn't know if the boy was a tender spot for him to touch on. She never heard him speak of Boh himself, nor did she ever see him pay any attention to the child other than in passing. Hebi made a small grunt of acknowledgment, but didn't open his eyes. Chihiro took this as a sign that she was not on dangerous ground and decided to delve a little deeper.

"He's been so depressed lately. I'm starting to worry about him." Another grunt, but still not stirring of emotion.

"I can only imagine how horrible it must be to lose a mother so slowly like this." This time it was a grunt of sorrowful empathy.

"Maybe you should spend some time with him?" Chihiro asked. Hebi opened one eye and peered at her curiously.

"Me? Why me?" He asked. Chihiro swallowed and shrugged.

"Well, you know…" She said elusively.

"No. I don't." Hebi said, opening the other eye. Chihiro blushed.

"Well, you're his father, aren't you?" She blurted. Hebi stared at her. He stared at her long and hard, his bright yellow eyes glinting in the bright sunlight as he absorbed what she had just said. Then he began to laugh. He laughed longer and harder than he had stared. He slid from the tree and lay on the grass clutching his side as he laughed for fear that he might split apart at the seams. The small clearing echoed with his hoarse chuckles. Chihiro had never heard him laugh like this before and despite her rising blush she found it a very pleasant sound.

"You're not?" She asked meekly, sitting up and watching Hebi writhe and spasm as he tried to get his laughter under control. Finally, with his wide mouth still trembling from suppressed mirth he hoisted himself back up to a sitting position and wiped away the tears that had fallen to his cheeks.

"No. I'm not." He said, his voice still quivering. "But I'm honored that you think so highly of my virility."

"Well, it's just something that I'd heard." Chihiro muttered, averting her eyes. Hebi chuckled again.

"It's best not to listen to bathhouse gossip." Hebi said, winking one glassy eye at her.

"Well then, who exactly is Boh's father?" Chihiro asked, willing her blush to disappear.

"Boh doesn't have a father." Hebi said, shaking his head.

"Heh?" Chihiro asked.

* * *

Next chapter! The story of Yubaba! Oh, yes. I am evil! 


	15. Chapter 15

Holy crap, I have been suffering the worst writers block of my life lately!!! Usually I can just sit down and write. It's never perfect stuff that I write, but at least I can get my ideas out enough that I can play with them until they sound good. Lately however, I have been going insane. It's not even this story that's giving me problems. I'm writing a book with my brother and every time I sit down to write, nothing comes out as it should. I know what I don't like about it, but I can't think of a way to change it and it is just going HORRIBLY! Grrrrr. Sorry for the rant. I'm just losing my mind over this. Anyways, because I haven't been able to write that it has affected my performance on this. Sorry. I'm hopefully getting over it.

Advice: Procrastination is bad for your health. You should work on that tomorrow.

* * *

"Boh doesn't have a father," Hebi said, shaking his head.

"Heh?"

"And in any case, I'm nowhere near powerful enough to father a child to someone like Yubaba."

"Ew ew ew!" Chihiro covered her ears and shook her head.

Hebi smiled and settled back against the tree with his long, muscular arms folded behind his head. He closed his eyes and sighed, pursing his wide lips as though thinking about where to begin.

"Well, I guess the best place to start is at the beginning," Hebi said.

"That's usually best," Chihiro nodded, sitting up. Hebi stuck his tongue out her and scooted a bit until he found a more comfortable position against the tree.

"You already know what I am. I am a snake spirit, but more than that I am the head of the entire serpent clan. My birth name was Yakiru but, of course, I can't use that name now that I'm at the very top."

"You can't?" Chihiro asked, frowning.

"Why do you think you only knew the Radish spirit as 'the Radish spirit'? The head of any spirit clan takes on the clan name as their own. This way it's less confusing trying to memorize millions of different given names." Hebi winked at her.

"That makes a lazy kind of sense," Chihiro rolled her eyes. Hebi laughed and continued.

"Well, my father was the previous Hebi, and I as his only blood son was to take his place next, but I was never a very good son. I knew practically no magic and wasn't much of the leader type. I spent almost all my time making a fool of myself in the mortal world. We were rich, and I was spoiled. When my father finally had enough of me, I was sent to Yubaba to train as her apprentice. Once she had whipped me into some semblance of shape, I was sent back to my father. My father died not long after I returned and I took on the role as the Hebi. But then a warring clan of rodents attacked us. We were not prepared, the clan was scattered, and I was wounded. Yubaba took me in and nursed me back to health, I then reclaimed the position as her apprentice as I recovered and searched for my clan. I managed to finally find them after several years, but then Yubaba became ill just as I was preparing to rejoin them." Hebi paused and turned to Chihiro.

"I'm sure I'm right in guessing you don't know what Yubaba is?" He asked. Chihiro frowned and shook her head.

"Yubaba is one of the few remaining ancient spirits. She, and her sister for that matter, are from the era of giants. Back when the two worlds were joined and the humans were nothing but thoughtless heathens, that's when Yubaba was born. But over time the giants began to disappear and the spirits began to take form. Yubaba and Zeniba were forced to shrink their forms as best they could to continue to roam amongst them. But you can only compact magical energy so much. This is why they are so disproportionate." Hebi said pointing to his nose in illustration. "And this is also why Yubaba became sick. To maintain her form a great deal of her energy had to go unused. It became stagnate over the millennia and it infected her body. It sucked at her life force and was slowly killing her.

'She came to me asking if I would help her, she often told me she trusted me above all others. I think I'm the closest thing she has to a friend. Who knows why, but I think of it as an honor. She wanted to go back to the garden. It is the center of all spiritual power in our world, you will go there for the power transferal. Anyways, Yubaba was hoping she would be replenished if she went back there and bathed in the pool. The journey was hard on her, she was barely able to keep her compacted form together. Weakened as she was it took us a week to get there, she barely made it into the red water before she reverted back to her original shape. Then there was nothing she could do but soak in the spiritual energies and see if they healed her. What she wasn't expecting was that the water would re-route her own unused power into the form of a baby. Voila, Yubaba was pregnant." Hebi threw his hands into the air in illustration.

"There was nothing else I could do to help her and she was well enough to travel back to the bathhouse on her own, so I set out to re-join my clan. And that is the story of Boh, the first offspring of a giant this world has seen in centuries," Hebi finished. Chihiro frowned.

"What about Zeniba? Didn't she get sick the same way?"

"No, Zeniba has more common sense than Yubaba," Hebi said, shaking his head. "Yubaba had been holding on to her extra power for so long because she is greedy. Zeniba has long since released her unused energies back into the spiritual stream to be recycled."

"Why doesn't Boh age," Chihiro asked, thinking about the giant toddler.

"He does, just not nearly as fast as you are used to. In a few more years when he is able to develop his spiritual energies a bit more he will be able to change his form into whatever age he wants to be. He will also have to begin compacting his form like his mother does. He's just too big for his own good. Luckily, as a second generation giant he won't be as disproportioned as his mother is." Hebi scratched at his flat nose and squinted at the sun that was nearly at its zenith.

"Does _your_ body match your age," Chihiro asked. Hebi grinned at her.

"No, in spiritual age, I'm barely older than master Haku. He is one of the few of us that has retained his natural age…until now. Once you've matured to a certain point, or once you've reached a certain degree of power, physical age means nothing. I could stay like this for centuries until I begin to wear out. Only then will I be forced to take on my form as a withered old man. But between you and me I hope I die a much more creative way than old age." Hebi gave her a confidential wink and rose gracefully to his feet.

"I hope your cabin fever is cured now. I can't lay around here much longer," he said, holding a hand down to her. Chihiro took it and allowed him to haul her to her feet. Hebi led her through the winding maze of blossoming flowers back to the bridge. The boards were warm and fragrant from the sun as Chihiro hurried across them alone. She paused at the other side and turned back. Hebi was still standing where she had left him on the other side. He sent her a cheerful wave and turned. As she watched, his legs melted together into a long, serpentine tail. Chihiro barely had time to blink before he had slithered down the steps to the spirit town and was gone from view.

Mildly shocked and nearly exhausted, Chihiro hurried back into the bathhouse and a few minutes later she slid the door to her room close behind her. When she went to sleep she dreamed then of giant snakes and flower mazes.

* * *

Chihiro was woken by a knock on the door. She sat up in bed and looked around, her eyes still blurred with sleep.

"Huh," she grunted, still unaware that she was awake. The person who had knocked took this as permission to enter and slid the door open. Chihiro snapped awake as Haku stepped through, bowing towards her. He looked very strange, his traditional blue and white work uniform replaced with faded black trousers and a loose tan shirt.

"It's time, Chihiro," he said. He straightened and went to her armoire, pulling out clothes and laying them on her bed as Hebi did every evening.

"Huh?" Chihiro asked, wondering to herself if she was still dreaming. Haku walked around her bed and grabbed the breakfast tray from the bedside table, setting it across her lap. With a slight wave of his hand the bowls and cups filled and began to steam.

"Yubaba only has a matter of days. It can't be held off any longer, we will be leaving tonight, so hurry and eat. You haven't got much time." Haku went back to her armoire and began pulling out more clothes. He had a black belt around his waist and attached to it was a small silver sack which was roughly the size of a grapefruit. He loosened the drawstring top and began slipping her extra clothes into the opening. Amazingly, the small sack seemed to fit it all without breaking a sweat. Chihiro hastily swallowed her rice and fish, speaking to Haku between mouthfuls.

"You're kidding me! What about the bathhouse?" The words were barely distinguishable through the glob of food in her mouth.

"Yubaba has started deteriorating at a much faster rate than we expected. There is no time left. We have some powerful allies that should be able to maintain the bathhouse while we're gone. We should be back within the month. Hurry and put this on and bring your shoes." Haku took the barely touched breakfast from her lap and grabbed her hand, pulling her out of the bed and thrusting a white shirt and brown pants into her hands. Chihiro hurried behind the changing screen and began peeling her pajamas over her head.

"Where's Hebi?" Chihiro asked, tying the drawstring on her pants.

"He's arranging our transportation," Haku said. Chihiro could hear him rummaging around her room. "The original plan was that we would fly to the spirit's center, but Yubaba won't be able to manage her flying cloak under her condition and I can't carry both of you. We would hire a Tengu, but there's not enough time so we'll just have to go cross-country." Chihiro finished dressing and walked back around her changing screen, casting a glance out across her balcony. The sun was barely touching the horizon. None of the workers would be awake to see her off. Hoping Lin would understand why she hadn't said goodbye, Chihiro followed Haku out of her room and through the winding, empty hallways.

Hebi was waiting for them just outside the small town at the river's edge. Next to him were two carriages that resembled small, single-story houses with wheels. He was standing on the porch of the leading one, speaking quietly through the front door. As Chihiro followed Haku passed him she caught a glimpse of Yubaba, still lying in the same bed she had been in for the past months. Her yellow skin sagged from her bones with apparently no meat underneath to fill out her shape and her dark eyes had turned milky. Chihiro gasped and glanced at Hebi who turned and gave her a cheerful little wave.

"Hebi will be traveling with Yubaba in the first carriage for the most part. You, Boh and I will be in this one," Haku said, opening the door to the second (and considerably smaller) house on wheels.

"Boh's coming too?" Chihiro asked, stepping through the door. Sure enough, there was no mistaking the giant bare bottom sticking in the air. Boh was sleeping on the floor of a smallish room. The floor itself was nearly completely taken up by three squishy sleeping mats. All other available floor space was covered by toys and a short table that was leaning against the far wall. There was a tiny kitchen to the one end, and a door at the other that Chihiro hoped lead to a bathroom. Haku had barely shut the door behind him when the entire house lurched, nearly toppling Chihiro over.

"Are you alright?" Haku asked, taking an uncertain step towards her.

"Yeah, fine." Chihiro got her footing and kicked her way across the floor to a curtained window as the carriage built its way up to top speed. The countryside wasn't passing by nearly as fast as she was expecting it too. The carriage was barely going as fast as the spirit train. Chihiro could be sure of this because they were bouncing right along side it.

"Hopefully with both Hebi and I we will be able to reach the Center in eight to ten days," Haku said. Chihiro turned and saw him carefully keeping his eyes to the floor. Chihiro realized that this was the first time they had really been alone (Boh's catatonic self aside) since the night she had cut his hair. Suddenly feeling awkward and self-conscious, Chihiro occupied herself by throwing a blanket over Boh's sleeping body and pulling his thumb out of his mouth. She tried to think of something to say to Haku, some neutral topic of conversation, but her mind was blank. All she could think about was that night, and judging from how stiffly Haku was standing, it was what he was thinking about as well. Chihiro sighed and turned to him, sitting on one of the empty pads.

"Sit down," she said. Haku obeyed and sat down across from her, finally bringing his eyes to hers. His face was resigned and stony, and his eyes were duller than Chihiro had ever seen them.

"Have you forgiven yourself yet?" Chihiro asked. She knew the answer before Haku shook his head. "You're an idiot then. I'm going to sleep." Chihiro rolled onto her side with her back to him and closed her eyes. She was still tired from staying up most of the day, but her heart hammered in her chest as she subconsciously strained to hear Haku's reaction, keeping her awake. Haku let out a breath he had been holding and the sleeping mat next to hers rustled as he settled down on it. Chihiro wanted to turn and see how close he was, but she managed to restrain herself burying her face into the squishy mat and willing her mind to conjure images other than the memory of Haku's tearstained face.

* * *

It took a few hours for Chihiro's body to get used to the constant sways and jolts of the carriage before exhaustion won her over and she drifted in and out of a restless sleep. Around midnight the door of the carriage burst open and Hebi slithered through. By this time Boh was awake and silently stacking blocks and Haku was staring out the window. Chihiro sat up as Hebi stepped into the room and straightened his wind blown clothes.

"Well, good morning! You look like hell!" He said cheerfully to Chihiro who sent him a groggy glare. Hebi laughed and ruffled her mussed hair as he walked past her to where Haku was sitting at the window.

"Zeniba has sent a message. She will be taking her own transportation and will be able to meet us at the bridge," Hebi said. Haku nodded and turned his gaze back out the window.

"Bridge?" Chihiro asked, trying to tame her dark tresses with her fingers.

"Yes, it's a lot like the bridge that separates the human world from ours, only this separates the spirit world from its center. Only the ancient ones like Yubaba and Zeniba are allowed to cross. And we can only cross if we are in their company," Hebi explained. Chihiro frowned and nodded.

"I have to go back now. Yubaba won't like it if she wakes up alone." Hebi patted Boh on the head and gave Chihiro a roguish wink as he crossed the room and opened the door to disappear into the inky blackness. The atmosphere fell upon them all like a blanket. Chihiro looked over at Boh who was staring forlornly at his blocks. Just as she was going to make a move to comfort him he began stacking them again and Chihiro thought better of it. She pulled her knees up to her chin and stared at her blanket, her mind thankfully blank. It was several minutes later when she was snapped out of her stupor by a pale hand holding a deck of cards.

"Would you like to play?" Haku asked. Chihiro stared stupidly at the cards until his words registered in her head. She gave him a thankful smile and nodded. Haku settled down next to her and began to shuffle the deck.

* * *

Sorry again for the wait! And this chapter isn't even very long to compensate (curse my eyes), but at least the plot is moving forward! Yay for progress!

Please review!


	16. Chapter 16

Hmm hmm. I will be perfectly honest in saying that the urge to discontinue this story was great because I couldn't decide what I wanted to do with it, but I just couldn't find the heart to write and post those final words, so for now I've decided to keep up the story and see how much farther I am able to take it.

So, here you go, just in time for Christmas! A nice bit of Chiku fluff!

Advice: Never let Maddie out of your sight!

* * *

Haku lay in the artificial darkness of the carriage, listening to Chihiro's deep, soft breaths merely inches away from him. There was no light in the room, but he didn't need any to see the pale skin of her face, or her thick black lashes that shadowed her cheeks and twitched occasionally as she dreamed. Her colorless lips were slightly parted and he could smell the sweet scent of her breath on the still air. Haku couldn't bring himself to look away from her, or stop thinking about her. He had been denying his feelings for her ever since the night he had kissed her. Oh, how that night haunted him now. The thoughts of it still caused him to burn with embarrassment, but he couldn't deny how much he liked the memory, how his heart had raced and how wonderfully soft her lips had felt against his. It hadn't been enough, he hadn't even gotten a good taste of her. Now here she was, within arms reach and caught in a deep sleep. All he would have to do is lean in and…

No, he wouldn't do that. He shouldn't have these feelings for her. He shouldn't even be allowing himself these stray thoughts of her. Haku frowned as he stared at her and noticed that her blankets had slipped off her shoulders. Grateful for an excuse to touch her, he began reaching for the blanket when the black mass that was Boh began stirring on the other side of her sleeping form. Haku's hand disappeared beneath his blankets and he shut his eyes save for a small gap which he peered through to see if Boh would settle again. Boh rolled on to his back and one pudgy arm flailed outward, landing heavily on Chihiro's middle. Chihiro let out a small squeak of surprise and her eyes shot open. After she had woken up enough to realize what the dead weight across her was, she began struggling to shift it, however all she managed to do was attract Boh to her body heat. The enormous child rolled towards her and clutched her to him in a movement too swift for her to react. Haku could barely suppress a smile as Chihiro slapped and shoved at Boh helplessly, trying to get out of his bone-breaking hold with one free arm. She gave up quickly and her hand reached out, seeking blindly for Haku. She found his face and began patting it vigorously and pinched his cheek in earnest. Barely containing his laughter, Haku feigned a snort and sat up.

"Help me!" Chihiro gasped from somewhere in the depths of one of Boh's fat rolls. Haku grinned and waved a hand, lifting Boh's arms with his magic. Chihiro scrambled out of the giant toddlers clutches and sat down next to Haku, casting a leery glance towards Boh. Haku released his hold on the baby who immediately began reaching for the missing warmth. A few seconds of rolling and whimpering later, Boh settled down and fell back into his dreamless sleep, now lying diagonally across both his and Chihiro's beds. Chihiro stared at him for a moment, her eyes blearing as she tried to decide where to sleep now.

"Scoot over," she finally said, flopping down on one far edge of Haku's mat before he could protest.

"Excuse me?" Haku whispered, staring down at her in astonishment. Was she really planning on sharing a bed with him?

"Don't be such a prude. I'm too tired to argue with you right now," She mumbled, bunching the pillow under her head.

"Chihiro, I don't think this is appropriate," Haku murmured.

"I don't care. Just go to sleep." And that seemed to be the end of the conversation. Haku pursed his lips, his mind filled with torment. Didn't she know what she was doing to him? He glanced over at Boh and began calculating how much magic he could use on the child to shift him back onto his own bed without rousing him from sleep. The chance of Boh waking up and fussing was too great, the child was growing more sensitive to magic every day. Just a few days earlier he had spit fire when he was throwing a tantrum. That was his first sign of power, which meant it wouldn't be too much longer before he matured enough to take on the appearance of an adult if he so chose. With that option right out, Haku glanced around the room in search of a comfortable patch of floor. He was in the middle of considering a spot beneath the window when he felt a timid tug at his sleeve.

"Haku?" Chihiro's small voice whispered.

"Yes?" he asked, turning his eyes down to her face. Her dark brown hair was loose and it spilled across her pillow setting her face apart from the white fabric. Her eyes were two small black masses that stared at him unblinking. She seemed to be struggling with her words.

"I'm still going to be the same person when this is all over, aren't I?" She finally asked. Her voice was small and scared, he could barely hear her even with his superior hearing. And small as it had been, he hadn't even noticed the gradual rise of her fear or he had dismissed it as residual from the way in which she had just been woken. Now he could smell it like a bittersweet tang in the air. She had obviously been struck by a thought and had been working herself into a nervous frenzy. Haru's eyes widened.

"Of course you'll be the same person. Why wouldn't you?" He whispered, settling himself so he was half lying beside her but was still propped up by an elbow. She sighed and shifted, pulling her legs upwards feeling vulnerable. Her knees bumped against Haku's thigh and she blushed.

"What is it?" Haku prodded.

"It's just that…" Chihiro paused, barely stopping herself from spilling her words in a messy rush. She took another moment to collect herself and continued, "I was having a dream. It's the same dream I've been having for a while, but it's not really a dream, it's a memory. I've been reliving the night I was being held captive, when the plant spirits were about to replace my soul." Haku winced. He didn't know much about what had happened that night, he was scared to know the truth about how close Chihiro had come to dying. But one look at that room had been enough to tell him exactly what those spirits had been trying to achieve. He quickly forced down his own feeling of despair at the thought and focused on Chihiro's words.

"It always feels so real, like I'm back there and it's all happening again exactly as it did the first time, but I don't really feel scared about it because I know I end up safe at the end. There's always one thing that disturbs me though, the spirit they were trying to replace me with isn't the one I remember. In my dreams it's always Yubaba that is floating in front of me. I haven't really thought about it much until now…but…" She really was scared now. Her fear crashed into Haku's chest like an iron fist. He reached out and placed a calming hand on her shoulder, releasing a small amount of magic energy to help sooth her unraveling nerves.

"I've always known that I couldn't trust Yubaba. When she offered all of this to me I thought of every single possibility for her to turn around and trick me. I knew that it wasn't in her to just give in and die like this, that she would and could double cross me at some point. What if everything is just a hoax? What if she does the same thing the plant spirits tried to do? What if she tries to take over my body? Or even if she latches a little bit onto me or changes me in some way?" Haku lifted his hand from her shoulder and pressed a finger to her lips.

"Chihiro, I swear to you that I would never, ever let anything like that happen to you again," Haku whispered fiercely. "And it's not just me. Do you really think that Hebi, or Zeniba, or No face or even Boh would stand by and let Yubaba do something like that? Even when she was at her full power, she never would have been able to stand up to all of us, and she especially wouldn't be able to now when she barely has enough power to keep herself breathing."

"I'm just…I'm not sure. I don't feel like I can trust her. I wouldn't put it past her to have something up her sleeve and…I don't know that I want to go through with this if there's some chance that she would do something to me...and if she doesn't do anything to me, what if the power is too much for me and…" Haku silenced her by placing an arm around her back and pulling her to his chest.

"Now you're just being silly," he chided her, all earlier discomforts forgotten. For now he could allow himself to hold her, it's what he felt she needed right now. And he was right. It only took a second for her to get over her initial surprise at this display of physical contact before she pressed herself against him and began to sob. Stress of the past months and fear of the uncertainty of her looming future unleashed itself from her in a torrent of tears. Haku settled down beside her and cradled her against her chest, murmuring small comforts and smoothing her hair as she cried. Under twenty minutes later Chihiro had cried herself to sleep and lay heavy and limp half draped across him. Haku sighed and pressed his lips against the dark crown of her head. He shouldn't be feeling this way about her, but there was no helping it. He loved her now and he had loved her since he had held her in his river such a brief time ago. He would never deny that, but he also couldn't allow it to consume him. There may possibly be a time when he could be with her and love her openly, but that was definitely not now. All he could do now was protect her and comfort her. For now he would just have to feel content in holding her. He would remember to scold himself tomorrow.

* * *

"I thought with at least Boh here the two of you would be able to control yourselves, but I guess I was wrong," Hebi bellowed in his raspy voice that next evening. Chihiro didn't quite make sense of his words teetering as she was in the realm between sleep and consciousness, but the warm bliss around her constricted in response to the voice and nearly cut off her air supply. Hebi chuckled.

"I'll come back when you've composed yourselves," Hebi said and the door shut as he left the carriage. Haku's vice-like embrace didn't relax, his whole body was tensed and frozen. Chihiro lay still for a moment, trying to piece together her muddled memory, trying to remember how she ended up pressed against Haku with her face resting snugly beneath his chin and their legs in such a tangle that she couldn't distinguish which pair was hers. Haku's heartbeat was hammering through his chest and she felt the odd sensation of his Adam's apple bobbing beneath her eye as he swallowed. After a moment his grip on her loosened and he pulled away, his pale cheeks stained pink.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, untangling himself from her as quickly as he could. Without another word he jumped to his feet and disappeared into the bathroom. Chihiro sat up and rubbed her eyes, glancing blearily over at Boh who was still sound asleep and who had managed to roll back onto his own bed leaving Chihiro's tousled and empty. She could only imagine what all of this had looked like to Hebi and she felt a blush begin to creep up her neck. There was a small knock on the door and Hebi strode back in, eyes sparkling and annoying Cheshire grin set firmly.

"Now where did Haku run off to?" Hebi asked.

"He had to go to the bathroom." Chihiro said, feigning nonchalance. She began combing her hair with her fingers and attempted to ignore Hebi's knowing smirk.

"I'm sure he did." If possible Hebi's smile widened even further. Chihiro glared at him.

"Did you need something, Hebi?" She asked. Hebi chuckled.

"There's no need to get so snippety. I think it's absolutely adorable," he said, walking over to Chihiro's empty bed and plopping down on the disheveled blankets. He stretched his arms above his head and his spine let out a few meaty pops. Hebi let out a blissful sigh and shut his eyes.

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," Chihiro sniffed.

"Well, when you figure it out I hope you find it as adorable as I do," Hebi sighed and his face relaxed from its grin into the natural, permanent smile of the snake he was. Chihiro peered at his face. His eyelids were dark and bruised with exhaustion in startling contrast to his pale, translucent skin. She wondered when had been the last time he had gotten any sleep.

Behind her the bathroom door opened with a small squeak. Haku stepped back into the room, his cheeks still flushed but his face as stony and composed as usual if a little damp from a healthy dousing of cold water.

"Did you need to speak with me, Hebi?" Haku asked, carefully avoiding looking in Chihiro's direction at all.

"Not really, I just stopped in here to catch a nap," Hebi said, yawning.

"You're just leaving Yubaba alone?" Haku asked, raising an eyebrow. He glanced over at the door, Yubaba's carriage suddenly a haven from the tense aura between Chihiro and him. Things had been all well and good when he had been comforting her, but in retrospect he really should have taken that bit of floor beneath the window when he had the chance. But on the other hand, with her scent still strong on his clothes and in his nostrils he found himself wishing that Hebi hadn't burst in like that. He wished he'd had another hour or so to savor his one chance to hold her.

"Yubaba will be fine, she asked me to leave. She said she needed some time to herself. And don't worry, I set up precautionary charms at every entrance and in a perimeter of the carriages. I'll be able to sense approaching danger from a long way off," Hebi said, rolling onto his side. Haku gave an appreciative nod, cursing at the loss of his chance to hide for a while. Knowing he wouldn't be able to avoid Chihiro for long, he licked his lips and turned to her. She was staring at a spot on the floor, seemingly lost in thought as her fingers slid through one long tress of hair over and over. Haku was entranced by her fingers. He had never noticed them before. They were very long and slender, almost skeletal but beautiful and alluring at the same time.

Feeling his eyes on her, Chihiro looked up at him and smiled. Calm washed over Haku and he smiled back at her. From behind her, Hebi let out a hissing snore, causing them both to chuckle.

"Are you hungry?" Haku asked.

"A little," Chihiro admitted.

"I'll see what I can do about putting some breakfast together then," Haku said. Chihiro pushed herself to her feet and straightened her rumpled pajamas.

"I'll help you," she said, following him into the small kitchen section of the carriage. Chihiro immediately set about preparing a meal of rice, eggs and fish. Haku could have whipped it all together with his magic, but there really was no need for haste or practicality at the moment. So they stood side by side, boiling water, cutting fish and blending together sauces, laughing softly and whispering neutral banter. Their conversation lulled to a stop a few minutes later when there was nothing left to keep their hands busy except grip their steaming fresh mugs of tea. The rice was left to cook and the eggs didn't need to be boiled until later. Chihiro turned to Haku and smiled.

"I'm sorry I bawled all over you like that last night," she murmured. Haku smiled back and shrugged.

"I understand," he said.

"But I still am kind of worried about it," she admitted. "What if Yubaba does try something? Or what if their power is too much for me? Hebi was telling me about them the other day and he said that Yubaba and Zeniba could barely contain their own power. How can I be expected to hold both of theirs?" Haku set his mug down and leaned against the counter, focusing his eyes on the ceiling.

"If I remember right, Yubaba and Zeniba _are _one power, just separated into two vessels. Basically, they are a yin and yang scheme. They've always been unstable because they've kept themselves separated. They haven't been able to contain their full power in the past because they are both incomplete pieces. The only reason either of them didn't implode at all was because the other was alive and they shared a bit of connection through their rings. I'm pretty sure that when the power transferal happens, you'll get both pieces and complete them in yourself, so you'll have twice the power of either of them, as well as total stability. And as for Yubaba, we'll all keep an eye on her and stop her from doing anything, so there's really nothing that you need to worry about." Haku smiled softly at Chihiro who smiled back.

"Thanks, Haku," she said.

"Do you feel any better?" Haku asked.

"No, but it's the thought that counts." Chihiro lifted her mug and sipped at her tea. Haku smiled and faced forward, but he still watched her from the corner of his eye. They stood together in companionable silence for a few minutes.

"Haku, I…" Chihiro began but was cut off by Hebi who slid abruptly to his feet, eyes wide.

"Something's coming!" He hissed. And then the carriage collided with something big, and everything turned to chaos.

* * *

Please review! 


	17. Chapter 17

Woohoo! 200 reviews! Congrats to Bfly-Rondalita! You are the proud number 200.

And thanks everyone you wrote the reviews in between!

Advice: Cookies is god, treat them accordingly.

* * *

They were big. That was all you could really say to describe them. They were big and they were black, but not the transparent black of the silent shadow spirits that lived in replication of the physical world. These were solid and only vaguely human in shape. And they were big.

One gnarled hand burst through the window while one of the things squeezed its humongous form through the door.

"It's the Behemoths!" Haku called to Hebi who had already focused a reddish glowing ball of energy around his fist.

"Oh, really?" Hebi asked sarcastically. The energy in his hand released and struck the one in the door square in its featureless face. It recoiled a little, but most of the blast's potential had ricocheted off its flesh and blasted a hole in the ceiling.

Haku had begun blasting at the one in the window, but was having a similar affect. He hissed a curse under his breath and began changing to his dragon form. He launched himself at the behemoth with a gurgling hiss and latched his dozens of sharp, canine teeth around its head.

Hebi was still trying to blast the door clear, sending red ball after red ball into the creature's face, and slowly, very slowly forcing it back.

"I have to go to Yubaba's carriage! I leave this one to you!" Hebi shouted over the noise. He jumped through the now clear doorway and waved his arm. The crushed fragments of the door snapped back into their normal space and the cracks between them shimmered with a deep blue light. All the noise had woken Boh. The giant toddler was watching Haku wrench his powerful neck back and forth with the behemoth's face in his jaws. Through a gap in the glass Chihiro could see even more of the creatures clustered, reaching with blunt fingers towards the window. There was a thump at the door causing the glowing fragments to creak, but still hold.

Boh let out a small whimper of fear. Chihiro rushed to his side and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his large head into her chest. She stroked his ears and whispered small comforts to him as she shifted her gaze between Haku and the quivering door. Thick black blood was beginning to ooze onto the floor from between Haku's teeth. Unable to stand the pain any longer the behemoth drew back with a deep, rumbling snarl.

Haku changed back into his human form, filling the air with the sound of rain on tile as his scales floated in a cloud around him. He flipped his wrists and the scales formed a shell around the broken window, muffling the doleful groans of the creatures outside.

"Are you alright?" He demanded, turning back to where Chihiro was standing with Boh. His eyes were narrowed and his chin was stained with black blood. A bit oozed down and dripped onto the collar of his simple tan shirt.

"Are you alright?" He asked again, snapping Chihiro from her fascination with the blood on his face.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. We're fine," she said, turning to Boh and quickly looking him up and down for any signs of stress or injury. There was a rumbling groan from the window as one of the behemoth's shoved it's hand against Haku's scales. They bulged from the pressure, but still held firm. Boh let out another whimper and buried his eyes into Chihiro's shirt.

"What's going on? Why are they attacking us?" Chihiro asked, stroking Boh's bald head. Haku wiped at the creatures blood with his sleeve, smearing it along his jaw in a bluish streak.

"I don't know," Haku said, spitting a dark glob onto the floor with distaste. "I don't know that I've ever heard of a case where they've actually attacked anyone. Behemoths are harmless and brainless. They roam the outskirts of areas with a high concentration of spirit energy and feed on the excess. But they're shy, they never interact with sentient spirits." Haku frowned at the still bulging shell of scales, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

The room was suddenly filled with a crashing boom as a part of the roof caved in. Boh shrieked and dove out of the way of falling debris, dragging Chihiro with him. He landed on his back with Chihiro crushed against his chest. There was another crash and a hand the size of Chihiro's torso was thrust in the room just inches from them.

"HAKU!" Chihiro cried, yanking out of Boh's grip and trying to drag him with her away from the grasping hand. Haku glared over his shoulder at the new intruder, his hands occupied with trying to shove an arm and shoulder back out of the hole in the roof. The air between him and his opponent crackled and shimmered with a faint blue light. Sweat was beginning to bead along Haku's forehead.

"Chihiro," he grunted, the muscles of his arms bulged as he doubled his effort. Chihiro scrambled away from the newest hand, only to have another burst through inches away from her. She screamed as the monstrous fingers flexed and reached for her. She lashed out with her foot at the black mass. Red sparks flew where her foot connected with the monster and its black flesh began to melt away. The behemoth roared and recoiled leaving a trail of hissing gore on the floor. Chihiro stared in awe at the hole until a new fist thrust its way through with a vengeance. Chihiro rolled to her feet and darted away from the wall. She glanced around, taking a quick inventory of the boys. Haku was still struggling against the creature that was now shoving its featureless head through the ceiling and Boh was dodging in and out of the groping hands, letting out earsplitting wails of fear.

The carriage had been shifting and lurching from the outside assault, but then the room began to quiver and shake with force twice as violent as before. Chihiro could feel an enormous amount of pressure build up, causing her hair to raise with unnatural static. Dozens of bass moans began bawling and one by one those that had penetrated the room were sucked away by some monstrous force. Haku staggered forwards with the force of the magic he had been using but managed to stay on his feet. He went into a crouch and his body went still as his eyes shifted around the room, looking at something further than the walls. He slowly straightened back up and seemed to relax, half a second later the front door collapsed and Hebi stumbled in, his body drenched with sweat and his shoulders quivering with exhaustion.

"It's no use," he said, squinting at Haku through the perspiration that soaked his face. "They'll be back soon."

"How's Yubaba?" Haku asked. Hebi shook his head.

"They didn't attack her carriage at all. They were swarmed around this one," he said.

"So they were after someone," Haku said, his face darkening. Both pairs of eyes, yellow and green, turned to Chihiro.

"What?" she asked, glancing back and forth between them. Hebi and Haku ignored her and turned back to each other.

"You should take her somewhere safe. Keep moving and we'll meet you at the bridge in a week," Hebi said. Haku nodded.

"What about Boh?" Chihiro whispered, looking over at the giant child who was now sucking his thumb while brushing dust and mortar from the top of his head with his free hand.

"He can ride with Yubaba. It will be a darker atmosphere, but it's the only choice we have right now," Hebi said. Before anybody could say anything he froze and held a hand out for absolute silence. His tongue darted out between his lips, causing Chihiro to jump. She was shocked to see that it was black, hard and forked where just seconds ago she was certain it was as pink and fleshy as her own. Hebi tasted the air once more and when he opened his mouth to speak it was a perfectly human tongue once more.

"We only have less than a minute before they're on us again. You need to go," Hebi said, his voice urgent. Haku nodded and he rushed towards the kitchen area, already loosening the strings of the silver sack at his belt. He paused to place a hand on Chihiro's shoulder.

"Hurry and say goodbye. We don't have time for long farewells," he murmured to her. Chihiro nodded and hurried over to Boh who was sitting with a look of resignation on his broad face. Chihiro wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his forehead.

"You're going to be traveling with your mama now, but I'll see you soon. Alright?" Chihiro cooed.

"I know," he said, patting her shoulder. Chihiro pulled away and looked into his back eyes that were far older and wiser than his chubby face.

"Chihiro!" Haku called, already tying the strings of the silver back.

"Be safe, okay?" Boh mumbled.

"I will. You take care of Hebi and your mama." Chihiro kissed his forehead again, then Haku had his hand in hers and he was pulling her towards the door. Hebi was already waiting for them outside, his eyes cast towards a group of black giants that were lumbering closer at an alarming speed. He grabbed Chihiro and pulled her into a fierce hug when she came close enough.

"Always keep that little charm near you," he whispered into her hair. Behind them Chihiro could hear the rustling sound of Haku transforming behind her. Hebi pulled away from her and grabbed her arm, steering her towards Haku's long white neck where he hoisted her up without further adieu.

"You take care of her, dragon. Or else I will kill you," Hebi growled. Haku nodded his canine head once and wriggled his shoulders as signal to Chihiro to hold on. Chihiro barely had time to grab his horns and wrap her legs around his neck before he was soaring through the air like a ribbon in the wind, the carriages and the monsters quickly shrinking and falling far behind them.

* * *

Whoo. Been a while since I've updated, but I'm sure that's all anybody expects from me. Please remember to review! And now I need to invent a villain...hmmm 


	18. Chapter 18

Happy leap year tomorrow everyone! Wow, another chapter already? I'm sure I've given a few of you heart attacks! Thank you all, this story has now reached the alert lists of 100 people! Thank you so much!

Advice: Gimme breakfast!

* * *

As dawn began creeping over the horizon through a thick rainy mist, Haku began to descend. The land around them was that of lush forests and high mountains, the air thick with cold and rain. Chihiro could barely feel her fingers anymore. Haku aimed for one of the mountain rises, his course wavering with exhaustion. He had begun flagging two hours earlier, Chihiro could feel his muscles quivering and his breath growing more ragged beneath her legs. The ground rushed up towards them and they landed hard, sending them both rolling in the thick green foliage. When they came to a stop Haku had returned to his human form and he lay panting a few feet away from Chihiro. 

"I'm sorry, Chihiro," he gasped. Chihiro sat up and rubbed at a scrape on her elbow.

"I'm alright," she said, rolling to her knees and crawling over to him. His face and shirt were both stained with the blood of the behemoth he had bitten and sweat was rolling off of him in buckets. She was relieved to see that he didn't seem damaged other than his complete exhaustion. Chihiro didn't know what quite to do about that, so she held his hand and stroked his knuckles with her thumb as she surveyed their surroundings. There really was nothing but trees. There weren't even any birds chirping while the break in the rain allowed. Even with the humidity and the rain clouds that were hanging thick in the sky Chihiro expected that there would be _some _animals _somewhere_ that would be making noise.

"What are we going to do now?" she whispered. Haku was laying with his eyes squeezed shut, concentrating on getting his heart to slow down and his muscles to feel lighter.

"There's a cave about fifty yards away," he murmured. "Just give me a moment and we'll head for that." There was a rustle in the undergrowth. Chihiro's eyes snapped to it and her body tensed. Something was coming for them, she could feel it.

"Don't worry. We should be safe here for the time being," Haku mumbled, his voice sounding far away and drowsy. Chihiro leaned forward and patted his cheek.

"Hey now! Don't fall asleep on me! Not yet! You've got to hold out for just a little longer," she whispered, her voice almost hysterical.

"I'm awake," Haku groaned, his eyes rolling open but unable to focus. There was another rustle in the brush causing Chihiro's heart to leap into her throat.

"Haku! Which way is the cave?" Chihiro demanded, patting his cheek so hard it almost stung her hand. Haku winced and reached up with an arm like lead to grab her wrist.

"Calm down. I told you that everything is fine, I just need a few minutes to rest," he said.

"Just tell me which way the cave is!" Chihiro demanded, her whispers growing shrill. Haku squinted at her, willing his eyes to focus on her face. Her eyes were wide and her pale face was pinched with fear. Sighing, he tilted his head and peered with narrow eyes into the thick growth, looking deeper than human eyes could see. It took him a moment, but he found it, a cave hidden in an outcropping of rock. Even here and through the thick muggy atmosphere he could smell the dank stench of a grotto.

"There," he said, pulling his hand away from hers to point downhill and to the left.

"Okay," Chihiro muttered. She stood up and brushed damp moss and leaves from her pants. "Okay." Chihiro reached down and hoisted Haku into a sitting position. Haku groaned in protest but did his best to do as she willed.

"Can't you just wait?" he grunted once he was sitting properly.

"No, we need to get under shelter! Now!" Chihiro said, her hands already reaching under his armpits as she tried to heave him to his feet.

"Chihiro," Haku complained, doing his best to get his feet beneath him. His knees were like rubber as they tried to support his weight.

"Just move Haku!" She said, doing her best to bear his weight, but he was a good forty pounds heavier than she was. Haku groaned and began shuffling his dead feet, the cave suddenly seeming miles away. It was a struggle, but luckily it was all down hill. Not luckily was the fact that the moist, squishy moss underfoot was slippery causing them both to slip repeatedly. And when one tripped they would bring the other one with them.

They battled their way through the forest for several minutes, every now and than some brush in the distance would rustle causing Chihiro to jump and gasp. Finally Chihiro saw a break in the greenery where a number of blackish boulders were huddled like a monument of safety. Adrenaline burst through her and she doubled her speed, forcing Haku along with her.

In the boulders was a deep black entry way that was low enough to force them to stoop and hobble through it. Inside, the cave was surprisingly open and deep. It was also filled with a soft aquamarine glow that seemed to be emanating from a pool of icy water.

"Take me to the water," Haku whispered. Chihiro nodded and struggled to haul him the last ten feet to the waters edge. Haku sat down heavily, bringing Chihiro down with him. As Haku leaned over the pool Chihiro kept a firm grip on his chest to make sure he didn't collapse and fall in. The pool was surprisingly clear and in the crystal depths Chihiro could see the source of the glow. There was some kind of blue moss growing on the rocks deep below that was illuminating the sandy bottom and the small fish that swam in and out of sparse clumps of waving grass.

Haku reached out with one pale hand and dipped his long fingers into the icy water. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, letting it out in a quick stream of words so low that Chihiro could barely hear them, but they sounded like a spell or prayer of some sort. Once the words were passed his lips, Chihiro was overwhelmed with a feeling of comfort and safety. Haku had blessed the cave, nothing would find them here for the time being.

The last of his energy now spent, Haku began to topple forward. Chihiro's arms tightened around his chest and she dragged him back, away from the water and laid him on the ground. Now that the feeling of overwhelming fear was gone, Chihiro was aware of another feeling. She was shivering hard enough to make her teeth rattle. The cave was freezing! The area was illuminated enough that she could see everything around her, but there was nothing except wet, glittering rock. There was no fuel to start a fire and even if she'd been willing to leave the cave she knew there was no dry wood in the spongy forest.

Chihiro reached out and touched Haku's cheek. He wasn't shivering like she was, but his skin was as cold as the stone around them. Chihiro could feel the grip of panic wrapping around her again. She looked around desperately for some means to keep warm and her eyes fell on Haku's belt. The small silver sack glimmered back at her in the dull light. Chihiro untied the drawstrings and spread the opening, but when she looked into the sack it appeared to be empty. Chihiro reached her hand into it anyway, praying that there were blankets packed somewhere inside. At first she felt nothing but the cold silk of bag's lining. Then something decidedly _not_ silk drifted between her grasping fingers. Chihiro felt a small rush of triumph as she pulled an impossibly thick blanket from the small bag.

No sooner had she pulled the first blanket out, and her hand was back in looking for another. And another. There were only three blankets that could be pulled out, but Chihiro was happy enough with just them. She stacked two of them and stretched them on the stone floor next to Haku's unconscious body. Next she knelt down beside Haku and tried moving him onto the makeshift bed as gently as possible. When that proved impossible and it was apparent nothing would wake him from his slumber, Chihiro resorted to rolling him. With him set snuggly in place, Chihiro curled her body around his and pulled the third blanket over the top of them.

Chihiro sighed as she shifted as close to him as she could and began rubbing her own cold hands against his frozen arms. There was absolute silence in the cavern save for their breathing and the dripping of water from the stalactites into the pool. Occasionally there would be the rustle of a rodent beyond the water, deep in the mountainside. Other than that there was complete peace and Chihiro felt her own tired body begin to ease despite the cold. Slowly, her eyes drifted shut and she fell into a light doze.

Her dreams were sporadic and tormented. In them, she was always running, but her feet and body were heavy and she could barely stand, yet she still was running. Never getting far and always scared to death of whatever she was running from. Sometimes the running was so hard that she was forced to crawl, but she was still trying to get away. Her dream took her through forests, along beaches, into deep cavernous hallways with stone floors. In the end was a fleeting image of a pure white face with two burning coals where eyes should have been.

Chihiro woke up gasping, her breath leaving a light puff of fog in front of her face. She quickly sat up and checked on Haku. His breathing was deep and steady, but his body was still so cold. She wished there was something more she could do to keep him warm, because apparently body heat and thick blankets weren't enough.

Chihiro placed a hand on his shoulder and gently shook him, calling his name in a soft voice. He still didn't respond. Not knowing what to do, Chihiro sat up and rubbed her own chilled arms. No wonder she had had nightmares.

Now thoroughly left to herself with nothing to do, Chihiro ran what had happened through her head. One thing that stood out was what she had done to that behemoth back in the carriage when she had kicked it. Also the strange feeling that had overcome her after Haku had landed. He had obviously not felt it; the panic, the feeling that something (or someone) was coming. Had it all just been in her imagination, she wondered to herself. But no, what she had felt out there had been too tangible, too close, it had definitely been something to worry about…but how would she know this?

Chihiro looked down at the foot she had kicked the behemoth with. She was still barefoot (not that her thin shoes would have been much protection against the cold and the wet) and to her surprise there was dark blue blood crusted around her heel. Chihiro reached out her hand with revulsion and scratched at the dried flecks. She climbed to her feet, pausing briefly to tuck the ends of the blanket around Haku's unconscious form before hobbling over to the glowing water. She knelt at the edge and dangled one foot into the water, inhaling sharply as the shock of the water sucked away any last trace of warmth from her skin. Ignoring this, she leaned forward and scrubbed her skin until all traces of blood were gone.

Chihiro pulled her foot back out of the water and watched the flecks of blood circling downward in the clear pool. How had she done it? How had she hurt that behemoth so badly? She tried to focus on the feelings she had when it had happened. She had been scared out of her mind, of course. She had felt helpless, she had felt indignation, she had been worried about Boh and Haku, and…she had wanted to hurt the monster. She wanted to hurt it very badly. She had been angry, enraged, as she thought about it there was no doubt in her mind, these emotions had been very tangible beneath her feelings of fear. She had wanted to hurt it as badly as possible…and she felt no regret now for doing it.

But she had done it! Her, Chihiro, the powerless human, had used magic! She thought back to the lessons she had gone through with Hebi, and to a small extent Haku. She had been taught dozens of incantations, hand gestures and focus exercises. In none of her lessons had she shown any ounce of magical ability, and yet here, when it had counted, she had done it. And she kicked ass!

This new realization caused her chest to swell with self pride. What if she could do more? What was the extent of her newfound power?

Chihiro became aware that her shivering had gone out of control again. She limped over to the makeshift bed and burrowed under the covers. Damp was beginning to seep up through the bottom two layers of bedding, but it could only be endured. Chihiro carefully touched Haku's face, but there was still no change. He was still cold as ice. She drew her hand away from him and looked at it, wondering to herself. If she could do one magic trick, what was stopping her from trying another?

Chihiro lay down and refitted her body around Haku's. She had been taught one incantation that wrapped the body in a bubble of warmth. She whispered this under her breath and clutched Haku to herself.

Nothing happened.

She sat up and tried another, this time on Haku, it was supposed to re-energize the body.

Again nothing.

Chihiro tried another and another, each time was more nothing. Frustrated, Chihiro flopped back down next to Haku and buried her face into his shoulder, biting back the angry tears. She felt so helpless; she couldn't even keep herself warm. Shutting her eyes, Chihiro forgot all incantations and prayers, instead she willed herself to be warm. She willed her shivering to stop. She willed the numbness to fade away and she willed heat to spread to Haku.

Slowly, she became aware of a soft sound that was much like a sigh. Chihiro opened her eyes and stared at Haku, only mildly surprised to see that he was on fire. ON FIRE! Chihiro sat up and made a move to smother the flames when she saw that she was on fire as well. Dull green flames licked and danced across her skin and on her clothes. The bedding was aflame as well, but the fire was not actually burning anything. All it was was warm.

Chihiro touched Haku's face again and left it there. The cold in his skin and in her fingers ebbed away. The shivering stopped, the numbness went away. Pleased with herself, Chihiro lay back down and wrapped her arms around Haku's warming body. Sleepiness overtook her, and soon she fell back to sleep. This time, no nightmares bothered her.

* * *

Yeah, sorry for any spelling or gramatical errors. I didn't have the time to do a final read through. I've got to eat some yogurt and start getting ready to fly out to Chicago on a research expedition. 

Chihiro's got the pwnage! Please remember to review!


	19. Chapter 19

Haha. Sometimes I really feel like an idiot. I was reading some of my reviews and I noticed a little option in the corner of each review that said "abuse". My initial thought: why in the world would I want to abuse my reviewers? I is a dork. 

Soooo, Chicago was interesting. I'm a middle-of-nowhere-country-girl, so it was a bit of a culture shock! Never before in my life had I ever been in a Taxi or on a Subway. I also had never been on a bus where you pay a toll to get on. It was definitely an enlightening experience, and it was pretty worthwhile. I no longer have an excuse to put off writing my book.

Today's advice is courteousy of my dad, aka Chuck Norris: Don't spit into the wind.

* * *

Chihiro woke up as the sun began to set down. The first thing she was aware of was the fact that the green flames had died away sometime while they were asleep. The second thing she was aware of was the fact that Haku had managed to move on his own in his sleep and he had her pinned against his chest as tightly as he had the other night. Chihiro couldn't really say that she minded, his body was like a furnace now that he had recovered some of his energy and their bodies fit quite nicely together.

Chihiro sighed and was tempted to fall right back to sleep, but she really needed to pee. Careful not to jostle him too much, she carefully extracted herself from the tangle of their limbs and tucked the blankets around him. Checking him over, it was obvious to see that he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon. He was no longer in a coma as he had been earlier, but his breathing was still heavy and his limbs were like dead-weights. He barely twitched as Chihiro touched his face, the skin now pleasantly warm.

The chill of the cave immediately began seeping into her skin as she rooted around for a suitable place to relieve herself. Even if Haku was sound asleep, she didn't feel comfortable going anywhere in his immediate presence and going outside was out of the question. The oppressing feeling she had had made her shudder at just the thought.

Chihiro finally opted for the other side of the icy pool. There was a thin ledge along one side that she used to make her way across, gripping the wet stone with her bare toes. On the other side she found a convenient alcove that she utilized for her human purposes.

Once the deed was done, she was about to go back to Haku when she noticed a faint greenish glow deep in the cave. Her curiosity peaked; she began stumbling towards it through the semi-darkness. It only took seconds to reach the source of the glow. It was a stone tablet with stalagmites grown tightly around it. Harsh symbols were carved into the surface, but Chihiro couldn't see much of it through the thick mineral deposits. The tablet had to have been there for thousands of years.

The closer she got to the stone, the more she became aware of the air around her. It seemed to be moving in a steady breath-like rhythm. Chihiro reached out a hand and carefully touched it. The stone was wet and slick, but it was warm reminding her just how cold she had gotten since leaving the sanctuary of the blankets. Her bare feet were now numb with the cold so she reluctantly shuffled back to the pool and crossed to the other side.

Haku still hadn't moved, but when Chihiro climbed back under the quilts and shoved her frozen feet into his calves he jumped and his eyelids fluttered open.

"Wha-?" he murmured, looking around with blurry eyes.

"Sssh. It's okay," Chihiro whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. Haku relaxed and took her hand in his, rubbing his fingers over her chilly knuckles.

"How long have I been asleep?" Haku slurred, rubbing at his face with his free hand.

"Just all day and part of the night. I'm sorry I woke you up."

"No, that's fine. I need to wake up," he mumbled. He carefully pulled himself away from Chihiro and sat up, blearily looking around the cave as though seeing it for the first time.

"You didn't leave the cave at all, did you?" Haku asked, finally taking account of Chihiro's frozen extremities.

"No, I just explored a little deeper," Chihiro waved towards the black expanse beyond the glowing water. "I actually found something pretty interesting. When you feel up for it I can take you to see it." Haku frowned.

"Interesting in what way?" he asked.

"I don't know. It's some sort of glowing marker," Chihiro shrugged. Haku's frown deepened.

"Take me to it, now," he said, his voice hard. Chihiro hesitated. She hadn't felt anything around the tablet to cause her to worry. It had seemed innocent enough to her. Haku had reached into his bag and seconds later he pulled out a pair of shoes which he began slipping onto her feet before she could protest.

Enough of Haku's strength had returned that he made it across the narrow ledge with relative ease. He was breathing a little harder than normal, but otherwise as perfect as ever when he motioned for Chihiro to stand back while he approached the source of the greenish glow. He walked towards it slowly, one hand outstretched and feeling the air in front of him.

As he grew closer to the stone Chihiro could see his shoulders relaxing even in the gloom. He didn't even need to tell her that it was okay to follow him. Soon she was beside him looking down at the tablet.

"Do you know what it is?" Chihiro asked. Haku bent over and touched the slick surface.

"It's a grave marker," Haku replied. "This is a sacred burial ground." Haku stood up straight and raised his hand in front of his face. He blew lightly into his palm and a bright white orb began growing from his breath.

The shadows drew away and the wet stones around them began to glimmer in the light. Chihiro squinted against the sudden brightness and began taking in the cavernous tunnel. She let out a short gasp and grabbed Haku's hand when her eyes registered what they were seeing. All around, imbedded in the walls and ceilings or overgrown with stalactites, were people.

Clothes, flesh and hair had long since rotted away leaving perfect white skeletons placed with careful precision along the tunnel like some macabre archway, their long claw like hands all stretched as though beckoning them to travel deeper into the cave.

"It's alright," Haku whispered, squeezing her fingertips.

"What is all this?" Chihiro asked, her voice barely audible to her own ears. Haku shifted beside her, causing the light to drift, the shadows to move and Chihiro to jump.

"Don't worry, we aren't in danger here," Haku said.

"That doesn't stop it from being creepy!"

"I think we should go in further."

"Are you insane?"

"Chihiro, just trust me." Chihiro glared at him until the cold air and the bright light made her eyes water. Finally she sighed and gave up.

"Fine. But don't you _dare _let go of my hand or I swear I'll kill you!" Chihiro whispered, lifting their joined fingers. Haku surprised her by smiling.

"Don't worry, I promise," he chuckled and led her into the deep tunnel. Chihiro kept her eyes down, focusing her concentration on not breaking her ankle and trying to ignore the hundreds of black stares and permanent grins surrounding her. However, her morbid curiosity couldn't keep her gaze cast down for long and she found herself glancing up at dense collection of bodies more than once.

"You never answered my question," she finally whispered when the silence became too much.

"I'm sorry," Haku said, pausing to help her over a wide boulder. "This is one of the dead cities. I never thought that I would live to see one for myself, almost all of them have been destroyed over the millenia. You see, when the mortal and spirit worlds were first separating from each other, there were entire cities of humans that tried to keep the connection between the worlds tied. They worshiped the spirits so completely that they didn't even mind sacrificing themselves to remain a part of this world."

"Sacrificing themselves?" Chihiro asked in wonder, her eyes moving from face to face. Some of them were so tiny they could only be children. A small knot began forming in her stomach.

"Yes. They didn't last long in the spirit world, and they all perished. But there were spirits who felt pity for them, so they buried the cities and cast spells on the bodies so that they wouldn't fade away, giving the people peace by making them a part of the realm they cherished and building these shrines for them…er…out of them." Haku stopped talking as the tunnel abruptly became so narrow that they had to edge through single file. Chihiro tightened her grip on his hand as she squeezed through, trying to keep herself from brushing up against the leering corpses.

"That's horrible! How could they just give up on life like that! How could they do that to their children?"

"These were different times, Chihiro. These people were superstitious and their superstitions were fueled by rogue spirits who found it amusing to grant them consequential favors and destroy their properties on a whim," Haku said. Chihiro noticed that his breathing was getting more haggard and began prompting him to stop and rest. He finally conceded, sitting down on a block of stone as close to the center of the room as he could find. Chihiro sat down beside him and closed her eyes, trying to imagine that they were somewhere else. _Anywhere _else.

"Are you alright?" Haku whispered.

"No. I want to go back," Chihiro hissed.

"Please, Chihiro. Just a little bit further," Haku was actually begging her now. Chihiro squinted at him with one eyebrow raised skeptically.

"Why does this matter so much to you?" she asked. Haku paused, his lips pursing in thought.

"I'm not quite sure. I just know my past is linked to one of these cities somehow."

"You've really lost your memories again?" Chihiro asked. Haku chuckled, a strange sound to come from his perfect throat.

"Pretty pathetic, huh?" he asked.

"Only a little," Chihiro shrugged. "Why won't you let me tell you?"

"Well…Yubaba kind of planted a torment bug inside of me. Whenever my brain registers something she doesn't want it to or when I'm being particularly rebellious, I experience a lot of pain," Haku said casually. Chihiro gaped at him. "Don't worry, it will die when she does. I'll just have to bear with the blankness for a few more days, then you can tell me…if you'd like."

"How dare she!" Chihiro barely kept her voice from shrieking. She had little respect left for the old witch, and it had been snuffed out in that instant. Haku merely shrugged.

"Shall we continue?" he asked, keeping his voice light as though he were asking her for a stroll down a garden path. Chihiro grimaced but allowed him to pull her to her feet. They continued down the tunnel for some time, both comfortably (for the most part) lost to their own thoughts. Thinking of Yubaba had Chihiro also thinking of Boh and Hebi. She wondered how the three of them were faring. Had the behemoths left them alone once she had gone? Then she remembered something Haku had said that night in the carriage.

"Haku?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"You said that behemoths were harmless spirits, didn't you?" Haku glanced over at her in a way that gave Chihiro the feeling that he had been thinking about precisely the same thing.

"Yes. They are nothing but masses of collected spirit energy. They have no thoughts or need for aggression unless…"

"Unless what?" Chihiro prompted. Haku was silent for a moment.

"Unless they are prompted by someone powerful," he finished.

"So, someone sent them after us?" Chihiro asked.

"More like someone sent them after _you._" Haku admitted, casting a sidelong glance at her.

"Me?" Chihiro gaped at him.

"You are a pretty hot commodity right now," Haku shrugged. Chihiro knew she should be frightened to know that some powerful being was after her, or at least appalled. But all she could feel was relief. If they were after her, then the others should be safe.

"…you don't have to worry about it Chihiro. I promise you won't be touched." Haku was saying, snapping Chihiro back to reality. His voice was serious now, cold and harsh as it was at the bathhouse. Chihiro realized that she had been seeing a different side of Haku for the first time. A more carefree, _human _Haku. Freaked out as she had been from the thousands of corpses and oppressive darkness, she hadn't even noticed that he had been drawn from his shell, but something in that last minute had snapped him back into his distant, icy state. Even the way he was holding her hand was different. She felt somewhat disappointed in herself for not relishing this rare glimpse of him.

Chihiro opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong when he abruptly stopped. The floor in front of them cut off into sheer blackness and the walls and ceiling disappeared. Haku raised his hand that was holding the glowing orb. The ball of light zipped away from his palm with a distinct 'whirring' noise. It jolted upward in a frantic dance, seeking the ceiling. It finally seemed satisfied with a spot far in the distance. There was a deafening pop as the orb suddenly grew to well over a thousand times its original size, forming a sort of artificial sun above them.

The sudden glare of light burnt Chihiro's eyes. She blinked and squinted, trying to grow accustomed to the brightness. Gradually they adjusted and she could make out the forms of houses and temples, shops and farms. Miles and miles of the perfectly preserved city lay at the floor of a vast valley beneath her making Chihiro feel very small and quite lightheaded. The place was untouched, the red paint on the walls still vivid enough for Chihiro to see it from this distance.

"Oh wow." It was all she could say, but it summed it up perfectly.

* * *

I am soooooo sleepy. I've been having really weird dreams lately about the world ending, so I almost don't want to go to sleep tonight. It doesn't matter if I do or not, even when I do sleep the dreams I have exhaust me. I seriously don't even know how I'm functioning right now. (begins to drool)

Well, goodnight. And please remember to review. And thanks to all of my reviewers for last chapter. If I didn't respond to your review, I sincerely apologize. I've been trying to be better at that, but I just forget sometimes.


End file.
